DUKE 

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in  2017  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


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CONTAINING  MANY  ATTRACTIVE  PICTURES 


SELF-EDUCATOR 

FOK  A 

RISING  RACE 

A  Practical  Manual  of  Self-Help  for 
THE  Future  Development  of  Ambitious 

COLORED  AMERICANS 

BEING  A  COLLECTION 

OF  lUSPIRIUO  ESSAYS 

ON  THE 

GREAT  OPPORTUNITIES  OF  A  NOBLE  PEOPLE 

LESSONS  FRONI  THE  ANCIENT  AND  GLORIOUS  HISTORY  OF  THE  RACE  AND  THE 
WONDERFUL  CIVILIZATION  OF  OUR  ANCESTORS  AS  AN  EXAMPLE  TO 
FUTURE  GENERATIONS  .  •  .  WORDS  OF  WISDOM  FROM  THE 
WISEMAN’S  PHILOSOPHY  AS  A  GUIDE  TO  A 
HAPPY  AND  SUCCESSFUL  LIFE 

TO  WHICH  IS  ADDED 

Life  Lines  of  Knoavledge 

PRESENTING  A  SERIES  OF  VALUABLE  INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  THE  SELF- 
IMPROVEMENT  OF  THOSE  WHO  ARE  AMBITIOUS  TO 
KEEP  STEP  WITH 

THE  PROGRESS  OF  THE  RACE 

ILLUSTRATING  THE  PROSPERITY  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS  OF 
COLORED  AMERICANS  AS  TOLD  BY  THE  CAMERA 

WKlTTEISr  AND  COMPILED  BY  JOSEPH  R.  GAY 

Assisted  by  Many  Eminent  Writers 


Copyright  1913 
BY  Joseph  E.  Gay 


We  hate  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  first  fifty  years  of  FREEDOM 
thinking  of  the  past.  Let  us  spend  the  next  fifty  years  thinking  of 
the  future. 

G-  "  :'7 

Publishers’  Preface 


UCCESS  in  life  through  self-help,  should  be  the  key-note  of  all 
human  endeavor.  What  opportunities  have  we  for  success  in  life? 
What  does  the  future  hold  in  store  for  us?  What  can  we  do  to 
better  our  present  conditions?  How  can  we  help  each  other? 
These  are  the  all  important  questions  that  concern  and  interest 
the  ambitious,  progressive  Colored  American,  seeking  intellectual,  spiritual 
and  material  welfare. 

Volumes  have  been  written  about  the  past,  but — except  for  the  les¬ 
sons  taught,  the  past  is  almost  like  a  dream. 

Let  us  start  the  second  half  century  of  freedom  by  looking  to  the 
future;  by  casting  about  for  present  opportunities  and  making  the  most  of 
them.  Let  us  begin  anew  in  the  light  of  past  experience  and  v^ith  the  advan¬ 
tage  of  progress  already  won.  Let  us  forget  our  past  troubles,  both  real  and 
imaginary.  Let  us  bury  the  failures,  misfortunes  and  mistakes  of  the  past 
half  century  and  make  a  new,  fresh  start  for  greater  success  in  life.  Let  us 
think,  and  take  advantage  of,  the  wonderful  possibilities  that  are  open  to  us 
now.  Let  us  remember  that  knowledge  brings  efficiency,  and  efficiency  brings 
power;  that  power  commands  and  creates  new  opportunities  for  those  who 
seek  it  along  the  LIFE  LINES  OF  SUCCESS;  and  that  God  helps  those  who 
help  themselves. 

We  must  realize  that  THOUGHT  IS  POWER,  and  teach  the  principles 
of  right  thinking.  Thought  is  the  force  with  which  we  build  and  shape  the 
whole  future  of  our  lives,  whether  for  good  or  ill. 

If  you  desire  to  develop  your  own  greatest  powers,  if  you  have  a  son 

iii 


340310 


or  daughter  about  to  assume  life’s  more  serious  duties,  if  you  have  a  friend 
who  can  be  helped  by  wholesome  advice,  then  this  book  has  a  message  of 
inspiration  for  you  and  a  note  of  encouragement  for  the  friend  who  seeks  to 
grasp  LIFE  LINES  OF  SUCCESS. 

The  teachings  of  this  work  will  help  you  understand  THE  VITAL 
LAWS  OF  TRUE  LIFE,  true  greatness,  power  and  happiness,  but  the  striking 
feature  of  the  book  is— after  all,  the  solid,  sensible,  healthy  exposition  of 
the  one  theme  it  is  written  to  enforce  and  open  up :  “  Opportunity.  ’  ’  There¬ 
fore  it  is  “A  PRACTICAL  MANUAL  OF  SELF-HELP.” 

This  volume  is  a  real  survey  of  the  vital  questions  that  affect  us  in 
everyday  life.  The  department  presenting  a  series  of  instructions  under  the 
title  of  ‘‘Life  Lines  of  Knowledge”  is  interesting  and  stimulating,  dealing 
with  the  INDIVIDUAL  and  his  latent  powers  and  of  his  practical  relations 
with  mankind.  It  offers  many  sane  and  practical  suggestions,  tending  to  a 
richer  personal  life. 

There  are  pages  brimful  of  fragrant  thoughts;  beautiful  ideals  that 
cheer  and  inspire  to  nobler  aspirations  and  loftier  undertakings;  practical 
suggestions  that  point  the  way  to  success ;  spiritual  truths  that  intensify  faith 
in  yourself,  in  your  fellow  man  and  faith  in  all  that  is  divine. 

Each  subject  is  written  in  the  simplest,  clearest  language,  in  a  way  that 
will  prove  helpful  in  developing  the  powers  of  the  rising  generation.  The 
idea  is  to  teach  the  creative  power  of  thought. 

Full  of  good  cheer  and  uplift,  this  book  points  the  way  to  a  nobler  life 
and  broadens  human  affection.  It  explains  this  mystical  life  of  ours ;  teaches 
the  practical  things  of  life;  tells  what  all  the  world  is  seeking  to  learn.  It 
is  a  book  for  living  men.  It  will  carry  you  on  to  the  winning  of  your  highest 
ambitions,  and  above  all — will  keep  you  in  touch  with  yourself  and  with  the 
infinite  God. 


THE  PUBLISHERS 


PART  L 

LIFE  LINES  OF  SUCCESS 


Page 

The  Coming  Men  of  the  Race .  17 

The  Turning  Point .  29 

Earning  Respect  for  His  Race .  31 

Increase  of  Opportunities  .  37 

In  the  Employ  of  the  U.  S.  Government .  44 

The  Colored  American  in  the  Service  of  God .  49 

Leaders  of  America  Whose  Ears  Are  Close  to  the  Ground .  53 

The  Colored  American’s  Nationality .  59 

The  Four  Divisions  of  Mankind .  64 

The  World’s  Congress  of  Races .  67 

Progress  of  the  Different  Races  of  Mankind .  74 

Ethiopia,  the  Great  Black  Empire .  83 

The  Genius  of  Colored  Americans .  91 

Development  of  the  Race  in  the  U.  S .  98 

The  Overground  Railroad . 108 

Physical  Training  . 115 

The  Four  “Learned  Professions’’ . 123 

The  Road  to  Success . 126 

Optimism,  Pessimism  and  Indifference . 129 

Pleasures  of  the  Flesh . 132 

The  Survival  of  the  Fittest . 136 

The  Victory  of  the  Man  Who  Dares . 140 

The  Wise  Man’s  Philosophy . 149 

The  Key  to  Success . 152 

Opportunity  for  Business  Life . 166 

Superstition  and  Luck . 180 


34C310 


PABT  IL 

LIFE  LINES  OF  KNOWLEDGE 


Page 

The  Secrets  of  Human  Life . 214 

A  Successful  Marriage . . 231 

Cupid’s  Conquest . 243 

The  Honeymoon . 252 

What  Marriage  Involves . 258 

Personal  Purity  . 269 

The  Influence  of  the  Planets  on  Human  Life . 276 

The  Science  of  Palmistry . 294 

How  to  Kead  Character . 302 

Hypnotism,  Fortune  Telling,  Etc . 309 

The  Home  is  God’s  Training  School . 317 

Home  the  Heart  of  the  Nation . . . 324 

The  Child  the  Coming  Man . 329 

The  Training  of  Children . 335 

Developing  Boys  and  Girls . 340 

Developing  Moral  Character . 344 

Reverence  and  Respect . 354 

Duties  of  Children  to  Their  Parents . 359 

The  Future  of  the  Child,  the  Future  of  the  Race . . . 364 

The  V/ay  to  Perfect  Health . 366 

General  Health  Conditions  . 381 

Common  Sense  in  the  Sick  Room . 396 

Rules  for  Accidents  and  Emergencies . 407 

Social  and  Business  Guide . 435 

The  Art  of  Receiving  and  Entertaining . 460 

How  to  Conduct  Business . 473 

Every  Man  His  Own  Lawyer . 486 

The  Art  of  Elocution  and  Oratory . 493 

Cotton  Growers’  Information  and  Statistics . 511 

viii 


I  The  Story  of  a  Rising 
Race  Told  in 
Pictures 


PHOTOGRAPHED  FROM  LIFE 


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INDUSTRY 

COMMERCE 

FINANCE 

INSURANCE 


CAPABLE  OFFICE  STAFF 

Bookkeeping  Department,  National  Benefit  Association,  Washington, 


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MONOTYPE  OPERATORS 

Modern  typesetting  machines.  A.  M.  Sunday  School  Publishing  Plouse,  Nashville,  Tenn. 


MEN  OF  FINANCE— BANKERS 

Alrmlx-rs  of  I'lic  National  I'aukcrs’  Associaliun.  'I'lic  incn  vvlio  control  trust  funds  and  provide 

means  for  business  and  agricultural  expansion. 


PRIVATE  LIBRARY  OF  A  PROSPEROUS  HOME 

Refinement  and  culture  is  here  shown  in  the  home  of  Chas.  Banks,  Mound  Bayou,  Miss. 


Municipal  Court  in  Washington,  1). 


STENOGRAPHY  IN  A  WELL  EQUIPPED  OFFICE 

The  type-written  letter  in  business  correspondence  is  almost  a  necessity,  hence  the  great  demand 

for  intelligent  and  experienced  stenographers. 


BUSINESS  ACHIEVEMENT 


I 


THE  REWARD  OF  THRIFT  AND  ENERGY 

The  palatial  residence  of  J.  F.  Herndon,  a  prosperous  Colored  citizen  of  Atlanta,  Ga. 


AN  ELEGANT  AND  WELL-APPOINTED  LIBRARY 

An  interior  view  in  tlie  home  of  a  noted  physieian,  Doctor  (ieorge  Cabaniss,  Washington, 


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AN  UP-TO-DATE  STORE 

An  example  of  Mercantile  Success,  showing  possibility  and  prosperity.  Owned  and  operated 

Ijy  A.  H.  Underdown,  Washington,  Id.  C. 


COMMERCIAL  PROSPERITY 

One  of  the  largest  Fish  Markets  in  the  South.  Jacksonville,  Fla. 


REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE  OVERGROUND  RAILROAD 


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THE  COLORED  MAN  AS  A  PIONEER 

The  first  house  in  Chicago  was  erected  by  a  Negro. 


UFE  LINES  OF  SUCCESS 
PART  L 

THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  RACE 

Our  Young  Men  Will  Be  Our  Future  Leaders 

Who  are  to  be  our  leaders  this  coming  generation! 

We  have  had  brilliant  and  faithful  leaders  in  the  past,  men  who 
labored  under  adverse  circumstances,  but  who  succeeded  in  reducing 
opposition,  and  brought  tlie  race  up  to  a  higher  standard.  They  were 
the  pioneers  in  a  great  national  movement.  Their  names  are  honored 
and  will  be  honored  as  long  as  the  race  exists. 

Their  preliminary  great  work  done,  they  passed  away  leaving  its 
continuation  in  the  hands  of  other  noble  men  and  women,  who  are  still 
among  us. 

Remember,  we  are  now  in  the  second  generation  of  uplift,  and  the 
mantle  of  the  leaders  of  the  first  generation  of  freedom,  passed  to  those 
of  the  second  generation,  has  been  spread  over  a  vastly  wider  field,  and 
shows  room  for  still  wider  extension. 

The  history  of  man  shows  that  in  all  great  human  movements  for 
betterment,  there  have  been  pioneers  who  commenced  the  work,  and 
carried  it  to  a  higher  point.  Then  came  a  succeeding  line  of  leaders 
who  took  up  the  work  and  carried  it  higher  still. 

Neither  the  pioneers  of  the  Colored  people  of  the  United  States, 
nor  their  successors,  the  present  leaders,  could  do  all  or  can  do  all  that 
is  to  be  done  in  the  way  of  elevation  or  betterment,  because  it  has  grown 
to  enormous  proportions. 

For  this  reason  we  must  look  about  us  and  see  who  are  to  be  the 
future  leaders  of  the  Colored  Americans. 

We  now  have  able  leaders,  men  of  great  character  and  ability,  men 
whose  loss  would  be  keenly  felt,  but  they  know,  and  we  know,  that  in 
the  course  of  nature  all  must  pass  away,  and  we  have  it  from  their 
earnest  utterances  that  their  great  hope  is  to  have  successors  in  the 

2— E  S  17 


18 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  RACE 


leadership.  Many  of  them  are  ready  to  train  others  to  walk  in  their 
footsteps.  There  are  thousands  of  men,  children  in  our  schools,  youth 
beginning  college  life,  and  young  men  who  have  completed  their  course 
and  are  ready  to  take  up  a  position  as  commanders  in  the  battle  of  life. 

Here  are  a  few  of  our  present  leaders,  between  whom  no  invidious 
comparisons  can  be  made,  and  to  whose  number  may  be  added  a  thou¬ 
sand  or  more  working  in  more  or  less  conspicuous  positions  to  fit  their 
people  to  become  leaders.  They  are  shining  examples  of  success  and 
merely  mentioned  to  show  your  own  opportunities. 

Look  at  and  study  this  list  earnestly,  it  concerns  you: 


EXAMPLES  OF  SUCCESS 

Rev.  S.  G.  Atkins,  President  of  the  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College  of  North  Carolina. 

Dr.  R.  F.  Boyd,  physician  and  surgeon,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Hon.  H.  P.  Cheatham,  Recorder  of  Deeds  of  the  District  of  Colum¬ 
bia. 

Dr.  D.  W.  Culp,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  author  of  “Twentieth  Century  Negro 
Literature.  ’  ’ 

W.  E.  Burghardt  Du  Bois,  editor  “The  Crisis,  A  Record  of  the 
Darker  Races.” 

Bishop  G.  W.  Clinton,  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church,  Charlotte,  N.  C. 

Prof.  J.  M.  Cox,  President  Philander  Smith  College,  Little  Rock. 

E.  E.  Cooper,  Editor  ‘  ‘  Colored  American.  ’  ’ 

Prof.  A.  U.  Frierson,  Professor  of  Greek,  Biddle  University. 

Prof.  N.  W.  Harllee,  Principal  High  School,  Dallas,  Texas. 

Dr.  Lawrence  Aldridge  Lewis  is  a  rising  physician  of  Indiana,  who 
made  the  highest  record  in  a  competitive  examination  for  the  city  hos¬ 
pital  of  Indianapolis  against  107  applicants. 

Prof.  R.  S.  Lovinggood,  President  Samuel  Houston  College,  Austin, 
Texas. 

Kelly  Miller,  Professor  Mathematics  Howard  University. 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  EACE 


19 


D.  W.  Onley,  D.  D.,  Dentist,  Washington,  D.  C. 

I.  L.  Purcell,  Attorney  and  Counselor  at  Law,  Pensacola,  Fla. 

G.  T.  Robinson,  Attorney  and  Counselor  at  Law,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Bishop  H.  M.  Turner,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Rev.  0.  M.  Waller,  Rector  Episcopal  Church,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Prof.  H.  L.  Walker,  Principal  High  School,  Augusta,  Ga. 

Prof.  Booker  T.  Washington,  President  Tuskegee  Institute. 

Prof.  N.  B.  Young,  President  Florida  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College. 

The  foregoing  are  a  few  leaders  in  the  professions.  Theie  are  nu¬ 
merous  others  whose  names  and  deeds  have  already  made  history  and 
fame. 

The  present  field  of  leaders  in  the  professions  is  large,  but  there  are 
other  fields  of  leadership  in  the  business  world.  These  men  are  suc¬ 
cessful  and  point  the  way  to  others  to  follow,  and  they  must  lay  down 
their  leadership  with  the  others: 

Charles  Banks,  Cashier  Bank  of  Mound  Bayou,  Mound  Bayou, 
Miss. 

E.  C.  Berry,  hotel  man,  Athens,  Ohio.  Said  to  keep  one  of  the  best 
hotels  in  the  United  States. 

Rev.  R.  H.  Boyd,  President  National  Doll  Company;  also  of  the 
National  Baptist  Publishing  House,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

William  Washington  Brown,  Founder  of  the  “True  Reformers’ 
Bank,  Richmond,  Va. 

Junius  G.  Groves,  “The  Potato  King.”  Edwardsville,  Ky. 

Deal  Jackson,  Albany,  Georgia,  the  great  cotton  king. 

John  Merrick,  founder  of  the  North  Carolina  Mutual  and  Provident 
Association,  the  strongest  Negro  insurance  company  in  the  world;  North 
Carolina. 

W.  R.  Pettiford,  founder  of  the  Alabama  Penny  Savings  Bank, 
Birmingham,  Alabama. 

The  following  condition  of  the  Colored  American  opportunities  will 
be  of  assistance  in  suggesting  fields  of  leadership: 


20 


THE  COIMTNG  RIEN  OF  THE  BACE 


Tlic  number  of  colored  men  now  engaged  in  business  and  profes¬ 
sions  are  as  follows : 


Agricultural  pursuits  . 2,143,176 

Professional  occuiJations  .  47,324 

Domestic  and  personal  service . 1,324,160 

Trade  and  transportation .  209,154 

Manufacturing  and  mechanical  pursuits .  275,149 


This  is  close  to  25  percent  of  the  entire  colored  population  of  the 
United  States. 

But  this  enormous  field  of  opportunity,  is  not  the  limit.  You  have 
aspirations  toward  music  and  the  fine  arts — singers,  painters,  sculptors, 
actors  and  poets.  Here  are  a  few  leaders  to  be  followed  by  you  or  your 
children,  relatives  or  friends ; 

MUSIC  COMPOSERS  AND  PIANISTS 

Harry  T.  Burleigh,  New  York,  composer  of  ‘‘Jean,”  “Perhaps.” 

Kobert  Cole  and  J.  Rosamond  Johnson,  New  York,  musical  setting 
to  Longfellow’s  “ HiaAvatha, ”  “Idyll  for  Orchestra,”  “Dream  Lovers,” 
(operetta). 

William  H.  Tyers,  composer  of  ‘  ‘  Trocha,  ’  ’  a  Cuban  dance  and  other 
noted  compositions. 

Will  Marion  Cook,  New  York,  “The  Casino  Girl,”  “Bandana 
Land,”  etc. 

De  Koven  Thompson,  Chicago,  composer  of  “Dear  Lord,  Remember 
Me,”  “If  I  Forget,”  etc. 

James  Reese  Europe,  founder  of  the  Clef  Club  Symphony  Orchestra. 

Among  pianists  is  Miss  Hazel  Harrison,  of  La  Porte,  Indiana,  who 
is  making  her  mark  as  a  student  of  the  piano  under  the  celebrated 
greatest  living  pianist,  Ferrueco  Buconi,  of  Berlin. 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  KACE 


21 


These  and  other  leaders  in  their  art  succeeded  many  illustrious 
composers.  And  you  are  called  upon  to  prepare  to  follow  the  present 
leaders. 

VOCAL  ARTISTS  AND  PRIMA  DONNAS 

Remember  the  Black  Swan,  that  wonderful  prima  donna  whose 
voice  had  a  range  of  three  octaves  and  was  frequently  compared  with 
Jenny  Lind  at  the  height  of  her  fame. 

Madam  Marie  Selika,  of  Chicago,  achieved  enormous  success  in  Eu¬ 
rope,  a  marvelous  singer  whose  voice  “trilled  like  a  feathered  song¬ 
ster,”  and  whose  “Echo  Song”  has  not  yet  been  surpassed. 

You  have  heard  the  “Black  Patti”  (Madame  Sisseretta  Jones) 
Avho  was  a  success  in  Europe,  and  has  her  own  company  of  which  she  is 
the  head,  “The  Black  Patti  Troubadours.” 

There  is  Mrs.  E.  Azalia  Hackley,  of  Detroit.  This  lady  has  been  a 
prominent  singer  for  years.  She  studied  in  Europe,  and  is  the  author 
of  “Guide  to  Voice  Culture.” 

PAINTERS 

William  Edward  Scott,  of  Chicago,  should  be  noted  for  his  extraor¬ 
dinary  works  in  America  and  Europe.  Born  in  Indianapolis  in  1884, 
he  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1903.  From  1904,  when  he  entered 
the  Chicago  Art  Institute,  until  the  present  time,  he  has  been  prolific 
in  paintings,  three  of  which  were  accepted  at  the  Salon  des  Beaux 
Arts  at  Toquet,  and  others  elsewhere.  His  work  may  be  seen  in 
three  mural  paintings  which  decorate  the  Felsenthal  School  in  Chi¬ 
cago. 

This  field  is  rich  in  artists  of  the  colored  people: 

E.  M.  Bannister,  the  first  Negro  in  America  to  achieve  distinction 
as  a  painter.  One  of  his  pictures  was  awarded  a  medal  at  the  Centennial 
Exposition  of  1876  (Philadelphia). 

Henry  0.  Tanner,  the  son  of  Benjamin  T.  Tanner,  Bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  is  one  of  the  most  distinguished  artists  of  the  present 
day.  He  resides  in  Paris  but  is  a  native  born  American.  During  the 


22 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  BACE 


past  three  years  his  paintings  have  been  on  exhibition  in  the  leading 
art  galleries  of  the  United  States. 

A  rising  young  artist  is  to  be  found  in  Eichard  Lonsdale  Brown,  a 
native  of  Indiana,  but  who  spent  many  years  of  his  life  among  the  hills 
of  West  Virginia.  Not  yet  twenty  years  of  age,  he  is  on  the  road  to 
fame  and  has  received  the  ecomiums  of  artists  as  a  young  artist  of 
rare  qualities  with  the  precious  gift  of  vision  which  indicates  ar¬ 
tistic  instinct. 

SCULPTORS 

The  two  great  sculptors  of  the  colored  people  are  women: 

Edmonia  Lewis,  of  New  York,  now  a  resident  of  Borne,  where  she 
turns  out  noted  sculptures  sought  for  in  the  great  art  galleries  of  the 
world. 

Meta  Vaux  Warrick  (Mrs.  Fuller,  wife  of  Dr.  Solomon  C.  Fuller  of 
South  Framingham,  Mass.).  She  first  attracted  attention  by  her  ex¬ 
quisite  modeling  in  clay  in  the  Pennsylvania  School  of  Industrial  Art. 
Eodin,  the  great  French  sculptor,  took  her  under  his  charge,  and  her 
work  is  the  admiration  of  the  art  galleries  of  the  world. 

Mrs.  Mary  Howard  Jackson  may  also  be  mentioned  as  a  rising 
sculptress. 

ACTORS  AND  POETS 

Ira  Frederick  Aldridge,  of  Baltimore,  was  a  pupil  of  the  great  artist 
Edmund  Kean.  Aldridge  appeared  as  Othello  and  other  characters,  and 
received  a  decoration  from  the  Emperor  of  Bussia. 

Phyllis  Wheatley,  the  first  woman  white  or  black  to  attain  literary 
distinction  in  this  country.  While  a  child  she  began  to  write  verses, 
and  received  the  endorsement  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  her 
time,  including  General  Washington. 

Paul  Laurence  Dunbar,  a  noted  poet  born  in  Dayton,  Ohio.  He 
showed  poetic  ability  while  at  school,  and  soon  became  known  as  a 
writer  of  ability. 

All  the  foregoing  actors  and  poets  have  passed  away,  but  there 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  RACE 


23 


are  many  treading  and  to  tread  in  their  footsteps.  Success  and  fame 
must  come  to  them  by  utilizing  their  gifts  to  the  best  advantage. 

We  give  you  merely  the  edge  of  the  field  to  be  filled  by  you  or  some 
one  you  know  and  hope  to  see  attain  it.  It  is  a  thickly  sown  field,  and 
if  you  cultivate  it,  you  will  be  rewarded  with  an  astonishing  harvest. 

rNVENTORS 

The  evidence  is  accumulating  every  day  that  the  Colored  citizen, 
under  favorable  environments,  has  performed  his  whole  duty  in  the 
work  of  benefiting  mankind,  whether  in  arduous  labor  or  advancing  the 
world  by  his  thought. 

The  records  of  the  United  States  Patent  office  show  more  than  four 
hundred  inventors  and  inventions  among  the  Colored  people.  Many  of 
these  inventions  are  of  the  highest  value  and  utility.  These  inventions 
are  for  devices  of  every  conceivable  use,  from  a  rapid  fire  gun,  invented 
by  Eugene  Burkins,  a  young  colored  man  of  Chicago,  down  to  a  pencil 
sharpener  in  common  use  today.  In  the  line  of  humanity,  life  saving 
guards  for  locomotives  and  street  cars  have  been  invented.  All  of  this 
goes  to  show  the  trend  of  the  Colored  man ’s  mind,  and  what  he  can  do 
by  thinking  and  the  proper  use  of  his  brain. 

As  an  inventor  Mr.  James  Marshall,  of  Macon,  Georgia,  has  at¬ 
tracted  national  notice  through  his  novel  flying  machine  which  he  has 
had  patented.  Mr.  Marshall  has  introduced  what  is  called  a  “Circum- 
planoscope,”  which  renders  the  flying  machine  non-capsizable,  and 
which  will  enable  it  to  stand  still  in  the  air. 

R.  W.  Overton,  a  sixteen-year-old  student  of  the  Stnyvesant  High 
School,  within  the  past  year  won  the  long  distance  record  for  model 
aeroplanes  against  more  than  twenty  competitors  from  all  the  high 
schools  of  Greater  New  York  and  vicinity. 

It  was  said  that  the  pioneer  leaders  of  our  Colored  Americans  strug¬ 
gled  up  and  carried  their  people  up  with  them.  The  questions  pre¬ 
sented  them,  the  problems  they  were  called  upon  to  solve  were  new  and 
the  lights  given  them  to  solve  them  was  somewhat  dim.  They  worked 


24 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  RACE 


for  betterment  by  tins  dim  light,  but  the  light  grew  stronger  as  they 
advanced,  and  when  they  came  to  lay  down  the  lamp  of  leadership,  it 
was  taken  np  by  their  successors  burning  brightly,  and  with  added  wis¬ 
dom  to  carry  on  the  great  work. 

Who  can  tell  then,  the  names  of  the  leaders  to  succeed  them  1  They 
were  in  process  of  training,  however,  just  as  there  are  other  leaders  be¬ 
ing  trained  or  growing  up  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  the  present  lead¬ 
ers.  They  appeared  and  have  expended  and  are  expending  .their  labors 
in  elevating  their  fellow  citizens,  but  they  will  eventually  be  obliged  to 
lay  down  their  mantle  of  leadership  for  others  to  take  up.  This  means 
that  in  the  present  Colored  Americans  there  are  those  destined,  or  who 
will  make  themselves  fit  to  become  great  leaders  in  every  department 
of  uplift. 

Conditions  have  improved  during  the  past  generation,  and  the  new 
generation  looks  upon  an  enlarged  field,  with  more  varied  prospects, 
greater  development,  and  opportunities  that  did  not  exist  before,  and 
which  have  naturally  sprung  from  the  gradual  progress  of  the  race. 

GREAT  DEMAND  FOR  WISE  LEADERS 

There  is  a  greater  demand  for  a  skilled  and  wise  leader  now  than 
ever  before,  and  in  preparing  for  that  leadership,  let  each  man  of  the 
race  look  to  himself  as  a  possible  aspirant  and  successor  to  the  present 
leaders.  The  very  thought  of  such  a  possibility,  based  upon  the  neces¬ 
sity  for  such  leadership,  is  an  inspiration,  an  incentive  to  action,  and  a 
motive  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities.  The  path  has  been 
cleared  and  you  can  not  lose  your  course. 

Let  us  revert  to  the  question:  Who  are  the  coming  men?”  Who 
will  take  the  places  of  the  men  now  leading  the  race,  when  they  have 
done  their  work,  fulfilled  their  mission  loaded  with  honors  and  fame? 
They  can  not  go  on  forever,  for  they  are  human  and  must  yield  to  the 
inevitable. 

Perhaps  you  are  one  of  the  possible  leaders  to  reach  honor  and 
fame.  WTiy  not?  Many  a  man  living  in  apparent  obscurity  has  sud- 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  FACE 


25 


denly  come  forth  out  of  his  retirement  at  the  call  of  demand  following 
opportunity.  This  is  life  and  the  natural  progress  of  the  world.  You 
are  living  under  auspicious  circumstances,  surrounded  by  events  that 
must  cause  you  to  think,  and  know'  just  what  is  required  to  advance 
along  the  lines  of  human  betterment. 

Every  man  thinks  he  knows  just  w^hat  he  w'ould  do  under  certain 
circumstances  if  he  had  the  opportunity,  and  that  he  has  the  pow'er  to 
do  it.  Very  well,  here  are  the  opportunities,  and  if  you  develop  your 
natural  ability  and  capacity  and  take  hold  with  a  finn  hand,  you  will 
attain  the  power.  It  is  characteristic  among  all  men,  an  attribute  of 
modern  affairs,  that  to  obtain  anything  an  effort  must  be  made  to  get 
it.  Everybody  knows  this  by  experience.  It  has  been  the  experience 
of  all  men,  and  of  all  nations.  A  man  must  reach  out  and  take  what  is 
before  him  within  his  reach.  A  wise  man  never  attempts  to  try  to  take 
what  is  beyond  his  reach.  Children  do  that,  but  a  modern  man  is  no 
child.  There  is  an  old  maxim  Avhich  says :  “A  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth 
two  in  the  bush.”  Wherefore,  take  the  bird  in  hand  and  hold  on  to  it, 
and  you  will  get  the  two  in  the  bush  by  and  by. 

FUTURE  LEADERS  NOW  UNKNOWN  YOUTH 

Even  now  in  some  humble  home,  there  is  a  youth,  a  mere  child  wuth 
possibilities  unknown  to  him  or  to  you,  who  may  develop  into  a  leader. 
Many  great  men  have  sprung  from  such  sources,  and  made  the  world 
ring  with  their  exploits.  What  has  been  done  can  be  and  will  be  done 
again.  It  is  not  fate,  nor  is  it  perhaps  destiny  as  some  may  think,  it  is 
opportunity. 

Do  you  suppose  that  the  poor  child  wdio  looks  on  at  the  amazing 
things  of  life,  the  things  going  on  around  him,  does  not  think  about 
them  and  feel  ambitious  to  be  or  do  something  that  will  make  as  good 
a  showing? 

It  may  be  that  he  plods  back  and  forth  after  his  morning  chores,  to 
some  little  elementary  school  with  his  few  books  under  his  arm,  and 
which  he  has  pored  over  the  night  before  or  in  the  early  morning.  He 
knows  that  he  is  learning,  and  his  small  ambition  leads  him  to  learn 


26 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  EACE 


more.  His  interest  is  aroused  and  he  represents  the  seed,  the  foundation 
of  a  leader  or  of  some  of  our  leaders  who  will  make  their  mark,  an  ad¬ 
vanced  man  to  take  the  place  of  some  who  will  soon  pass  away. 

He  may  have  left  the  plow  and  the  little  elementary  school  to  go  to 
college;  there  are  opportunities  for  this,  and  when  he  gets  to  this  col¬ 
lege,  his  mind  expands,  and  he  becomes  fertile  in  resources  to  embrace 
opportunities  before  him.  The  more  he  learns,  the  more  rapidly  does 
his  mind  quicken,  and  the  more  his  mind  quickens  the  more  he  advances 
along  the  goal. 


PERHAPS  YOUR  BOY  WILL  LEAD  THE  RACE 

He  is  your  boy,  perhaps,  your  son  for  whom  you  have  the  highest 
ambitions,  and  your  bosom  swells  with  pride  at  the  thought  that  he  is 
your  boy,  and  that  you  have  opened  the  door  to  opportunity  for  him. 

Some  young  man  just  out  of  college,  just  out  of  the  refining  process, 
is  on  the  high  road  to  position  and  honor,  and  is  already  making  a  name 
for  himself,  may  become  the  leader  or  some  leader  along  the  many  fields 
open  to  him. 

Can  you  say  that  it  will  not  be  yourself  1  Who  knows  that  it  may 
not  be  you,  your  brother,  nephew,  cousin,  or  some  valued  friend  ?  Give 
yourself  the  benefit  of  the  doubt  if  there  be  any  doubt,  and  there  need 
not  be,  and  take  hold  of  the  intellectual  plow,  and  till  the  field  of  op¬ 
portunity.  It  is  waiting  for  you  and  for  yours. 

Do  not  throw  straws  in  your  own  and  in  the  way  of  those  you  know 
and  to  whom  you  may  be  related  by  the  ties  of  blood  or  friendship. 
Why  not  put  them  and  yourself  in  the  way  of  opportunities?  Give 
yourself  and  them  a  chance  to  prepare  for  opportunity,  every  one  pos¬ 
sesses  the  chance,  and  he  must  prepare  for  it,  it  is  in  the  future,  perhaps 
it  is  waiting  now,  are  you  ready  for  it  ?  Do  you  think  you  will  be  ready 
when  it  calls?  If  not  get  ready  by  keeping  your  ear  close  to  the  ground 
and  watch  for  the  signal.  Keep  in  touch  with  the  people,  their  needs, 
necessities  and  demands;  observe  the  signs  of  the  times  and  study  the 
shaping  of  events. 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  RACE 


27 


These  are  progressive  times,  and  age  of  hustle,  and  the  man  who 
stands  out  in  front  will  win  the  race,  for  he  has  the  advantage  of  place 
and  position,  also  readiness  to  start  at  the  first  sound  of  the  signal. 

THE  CHURCH  OFFERS  HIGH  INDUCEMENTS 

The  Church  offers  the  highest  inducements  to  a  life  of  usefulness 
and  honor.  It  is  guided  by  men  of  distinguished  ability  and  humanity. 
The  Bishops  and  clergy  of  the  various  denominations  have  taken  ad¬ 
vantage  of  the  new  lights  of  the  twentieth  century,  and  are  striving  to 
bring  their  fellow  men  of  the  same  race,  up  to  the  highest  standard  of 
right  living. 

The  heights  they  have  attained  must  be  maintained  like  a  protec¬ 
tive  rampart  in  a  great  battle.  Their  successors  are  the  ones  to  con¬ 
tinue  the  work  of  defence,  and  advance  the  lines  still  farther  into  the 
country  of  the  enemy  of  humanity  and  morality. 

The  army  and  navy  have  had  their  share  of  brave  Colored  men,  and 
has  opened  its  ranks  to  more  of  them  who  are  distinguishing  themselves 
and  ennobling  their  race.  In  the  school  of  army  and  navy  discipline, 
the  Colored  man  has  proven  himself  to  be  a  man  in  every  sense  of  the 
word.  Faithful  and  true  to  his  duty,  he  honors  and  loves  the  country 
under  whose  flag  he  is  ready  to  draw  his  sword,  and  lay  down  his  life. 

YOUR  CHILDREN  MAY  BECOME  DISTINGUISHED 

You  or  your  children  may  be  the  fortunate  ones  to  be  offered  an  op¬ 
portunity  to  become  distinguished  for  bravery  and  generalship,  for  the 
way  has  been  prepared  and  those  now  striving  to  uphold  peace  will 
have  successors.  Remember  this  point,  that  the  longer  the  test  and  the 
greater  the  perseverance,  the  more  and  the  higher  facilities  will  be 
given  you  to  reach  the  leadership. 

It  must  be  plain  from  the  mere  birdseye  view  that  has  been  given 
that  many  leaders  will  be  needed  in  the  near  future.  Indeed,  some  of 


28 


THE  COMING  MEN  OF  THE  FACE 


our  present  leaders  as  they  grow  older  will  lay  down  their  armor,  and 
others  must  be  ready  to  take  it  up  and  wear  it. 

The  filling  of  the  ranks  is  almost  imperceptible  because  it  is  so 
gradual,  but  it  goes  on  continually,  and  the  time  to  prepare  for  stepping 
into  a  vacancy  is  now.  There  is  always  a  leader,  and  the  coming  men, 
it  is  plain,  are  those  who  make  themselves  ready,  and  prepare  for  im¬ 
mediate  and  future  emergencies. 

Have  no  fear  that  there  will  be  no  place  for  the  lowly  boy  in  the 
humble  home;  the  lad  with  his  school  books  plodding  his  way  to  the 
elementary  school;  the  youth  at  college,  or  the  newly  made  graduate. 
The  wheels  of  life  are  not  going  to  stop,  they  are  ever  turning,  and  there 
is  a  vast  upward  tendency  which  comes  with  every  succeeding  genera¬ 
tion,  the  last  an  improvement  upon  its  predecessor,  and  the  next  one  a 
still  greater  improvement.  So  will  go  the  world  until  the  last  whisper 
of  time  shall  beat  against  the  gates  of  eternity. 


THE  TURNING  POINT 


The  Progress  of  the  Colored  American; 
His  Chance  in  the  Business  World 


There  are  three  points  upon  which  every  colored  citizen  may  base 
his  chances  for  success  in  the  business  world: 

First — From  their  inability  to  engage  in  any  business  whatever  a 
generation  and  a  half  ago,  the  Colored  race  now  numbers  about 
five  hundred  thousand  members  engaged  in  trade,  transporta¬ 
tion,  manufacturing  and  mechanical  pursuits. 

Second — The  Colored  race  having  increased  from  about  four  mil¬ 
lions  of  people  a  generation  and  a  half  ago,  to  nearly  ten  mil¬ 
lions  of  people  in  1913,  the  commercial  field  has  vastly  widened 
for  exploitation. 

Third — Under  the  now  accepted  doctrine  announced  by  Rev. 
Charles  H.  Parkhurst  of  New  York  City,  the  field  is  still  farther 
enlarged  and  bids  fair  to  become  unlimited. 

The  exact  bearing  of  this  increase  in  the  population  upon  business 
chances  lies  in  the  increased  consumption,  greater  demand  and  ad¬ 
vanced  civilization — that  is  a  greater  variety  of  objects  are  necessary 
to  comfort  or  pleasure.  This  makes  more  customers,  and  all  things 
being  equal,  perhaps  they  should  be  a  trifle  better,  it  is  quite  on  the 
cards  to  believe  that  the  Colored  American  will  get  his  increased  share 
of  the  trade  of  his  fellow  Colored  Americans.  If  he  does  not,  then  he 
is  probably  in  fault  through  inferior  goods,  poor  service  and  lack  of 
prompt  delivery.  The  business  is  in  his  hands  at  any  rate  and  the 
opportunity  is  at  his  call. 

The  first  proposition  is  to  the  effect  that  business  chances  are  now 
at  high  tide,  where  a  few  years  ago  there  were  no  chances  of  any  sort. 
We  are  speaking  of  the  subject  of  business  chances  exclusively,  but 
may  venture  to  add  such  employments  as  miners,  masons,  dress  makers, 

29 


30 


THE  TUKNING  POINT 


pavers,  iron  and  steel  workers,  stationary  engineers,  engine  stokers, 
etc.  In  these  latter  occupations  there  are  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  Colored  Americans  employed,  a  gain  of  over  85  per  cent 
in  ten  years,  or  rather  since  1890.  The  other  trades  have  fallen  off 
somewhat  owing  to  the  introduction  of  machinery. 

To  limit  this  question  to  commercial  pursuits,  it  may  be  well  to 
state  that  economic  progress  has  reached  a  high  water  mark  among 
Colored  Americans.  There  are  one  hundred  twenty-five  and  more 
Colored  business  men’s  local  Leagues  in  about  every  State  in  the 
Union,  with  eleven  State  Colored  men’s  business  leagues  in  the  South¬ 
ern  States. 

These  leagues  are  composed  of  bankers,  merchants,  and  dealers 
generally  in  goods,  wares  and  merchandise — dry  goods  and  groceries, 
hardware,  etc.,  and  are  all  at  the  top  notch. 

THE  SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES 

It  is  evident  from  the  signs  of  the  times,  the  business  situation, 
our  interstate  commerce  laws,  and  the  domination  of  the  trusts  and 
combines  by  the  Federal  government,  that  there  will  soon  come  a  great 
change  in  our  business  methods,  and  practices. 

We  are  expecting  that  competition  will  be  restored  to  the  place  it 
occupied  before  men  were  forced  out  of  business  by  overpowering  in¬ 
terests  and  vast  aggregations  of  capital.  It  will  certainly  happen  in 
the  near  future  that  any  man  will  be  able  to  open  a  modest  store,  or 
engage  in  a  quiet  and  reasonable  business  without  being  driven  into 
bankruptcy  and  poverty. 

Our  Colored  Americans  are  not  men  of  large  capital,  nor  can  they 
control  large  amounts  of  capital,  consequently  they  have  been  unable 
to  make  any  headway  against  great  combinations,  but  here  is  an  oppor¬ 
tunity  and  if  you  wish  to  grasp  it  make  ready.  Prepare  for  this 
turning  point,  for  it  will  be  the  turning  point  in  the  fortunes  of  many 
of  our  people  who  never  had  such  a  chance  before,  and  will  not  again 
if  they  permit  others  with  more  sand  and  hustle  to  jump  in  and  take 
up  every  valuable  claim  and  chance. 


THE  PROGRESSIVE  COLORED  AMER¬ 
ICAN  EARNS  RESPECT 
FOR  HIS  RACE 

What  Other  Races  are  Doing  to  Rise — Persistence 
and  Determination  Will  Win 


In  a  country  like  the  United  States  where  there  are  so  many 
different  peoples  gathered  together,  it  is  difficult  for  all  of  them  to  live 
in  perfect  harmony. 

In  view  of  what  is  said  in  other  parts  of  this  book,  it  must  come 
that  all  men  will  be  united  as  one  nation,  with  one  set  of  rules  and 
laws  applicable  to  all  alike  and  without  discrimination  against  any 
branch  of  the  human  family,  and  without  regard  to  his  color. 

There  are  not  so  many  prejudices  against  races  as  was  formerly 
the  custom,  or  rather  habit,  and  the  signs  of  the  times  are  that  preju¬ 
dice  and  opposition  are  diminishing  every  day. 

Colored  citizens  have  had  to  fight  against  all  kinds  of  prejudice 
and  even  submit  to  humiliations  that  ought  to  rouse  their  manhood 
and  compel  them  to  inquire  Avhen  or  whether  it  will  ever  end.  Every 
Colored  American  who  reads  this  book  may  feel  assured  that  the  end 
is  in  sight,  and  that  his  children  will  witness  a  great  diminution 
in  the  slights  put  upon  his  race  and  color.  It  will  be  effected  by  per¬ 
sonal  influence  based  upon  education  and  high  standards  of  living. 

Not  so  very  long  ago,  the  Jew  was  about  as  humiliated  a  race  of 
men  as  exist  in  the  world.  Driven  out  of  public  places  because  they 
were  Jews;  unable  to  do  business  with  others  on  account  of  their  race, 
they  were  made  a  byword  and  a  laughing  stock  in  every  occupation 
of  life,  and  held  up  to  the  world  on  the  theater  stage  as  objects  of  de¬ 
rision  and  caricature. 


31 


32 


EARNS  RESPECT  FOR  HIS  RACE 


The  Jew  was  a  “Slieeney,”  a  “Shylock,”  au  “OP  do’  man,”  a 
“Christ  killer,”  and  given  other  choice  epithets  to  bring  him  into 
disrespect  and  excite  prejudice,  even  abhorrence. 

All  these  epithets  and  others  equally  as  cruel  and  vulgar,  were  ap¬ 
plied  to  the  whole  race  of  Jews,  and  it  did  not  make  any  ditference 
whether  he  was  an  honest  Jew,  or  one  of  education,  and  of  high  repute, 
he  was  still  a  “sheeney.” 

But  a  change  has  taken  place  and  the  Jew  is  no  longer  a  “Shee¬ 
ney,”  unless  he  merits  the  epithet,  but  stands  as  a  man  among  the 
other  men  and  is  entitled  to  and  gains  their  respect.  Jews,  as  a  race, 
are  no  longer  “Sheeneys,”  or  “Shyloeks,”  only  those  individuals  of 
the  race  that  are  in  bad  repute  among  their  own  people  are  such. 
Hence  we  perceive  that  prejudice  against  the  Jew  as  a  race  is  di¬ 
minishing. 


THE  FLANNEL  MOUTHED  IRISHMAN 

Not  very  long  ago,  an  Irishman  was  considered  a  “Paddy,”  and 
to  call  a  man  “Irish”  was  to  provoke  a  fight  in  which  blood  was 
spilled.  To  call  an  Irishman  a  “Flannel  mouth”  meant  a  broken  head 
to  the  speaker.  It  was  a  term  of  reproach.  The  Irishman  also  was  cari¬ 
catured  on  the  theatrical  stage  and  held  up  to  derision.  “0,  he  is 
only  an  Irishman,”  was  an  explanation  for  every  outburst  of  disorder. 

We  find  that  these  opprobrious  epithets  are  now  limited  to  certain 
Irishmen,  and  not  to  the  entire  nation  or  race  of  Irish.  To  call  an 
Irishman  a  “Mick”  does  not  hurt  his  feelings  as  it  once  did,  because 
he  knows  it  does  not  apply  to  him  as  a  member  of  the  Irish  race. 

The  Italian  “Dago,”  and  the  Chinese  “Chink,”  were  epithets 
applied  to  the  entire  nation  or  race  of  Italians  or  Chinese.  But  a 
change  has  come  over  the  situation.  There  are  Italians  who  are  not 
“Dagos,”  Chinese  who  are  not  “Chinks.” 

Epithets  cruel  and  vulgar  have  been  and  still  are  applied  to 
Colored  men,  and  we  often  hear  our  Colored  Americans  styled  “Nig^ 


EARNS  RESPECT  FOR  HIS  RACE 


38 


gers.”  Of  course  this  is  slang  for  Negro,  and  although  the  word 
“Negro,”  means  a  high  type  of  Ethiopian,  nevertheless  it  hurts  the 
Colored  American.  Why  should  it  hurt  his  feelings? 


BECAUSE  HE  ALWAYS  APPLIES  THE  VULGAR  EPITHET  TO  HIS  RACE 

That  is  what  the  Jew  used  to  do  when  he  was  called  a  “Sheeney,” 
and  it  hurt  the  whole  Irish  race  of  people  to  call  one  of  their  number 
a  “Flannel  mouth.”  The  Italian  did  not  like  to  be  called  a  “Dago,” 
and  he  always  felt  for  his  dagger  intending  to  kill  for  this  insult  to 
his  whole  people.  So  too,  the  Chinaman  does  not  mind  being  called 
a  “Chink,”  because  he  now  understands  that  the  opprobrious  word 
does  not  mean  the  whole  race  of  Chinamen. 

When  one  white  man  calls  another  a  “liar,”  a  “scoundrel,”  a 
“thief,”  a  “briber,”  or  other  vulgar  epithet,  the  whole  white  race  of 
Americans  do  not  rush  to  arms  to  wipe  out  the  insult  to  the  nation, 
because  such  epithets  have  nothing  but  a  personal  application,  and  the 
white  man,  who  is  none  of  the  things  covered  by  the  vulgar  word, 
merely  laughs. 

Let  us  extend  the  idea  to  religion: 

If  a  wayward  boy  or  man  casts  a  rock  through  a  church  window, 
he  is  charged  with  sacrilege  and  an  enemy  of  religion.  If  a  man  even 
on  provocation  slaps  the  face  of  a  clergyman,  he  is  also  a  desecrator 
of  religion,  and  an  enemy  of  God.  This  is  ridiculous,  and  we  begin  to 
see  how  ridiculous  it  is  to  attach  to  an  entire  system  a  mere  petty 
detail  of  local  or  personal  insult.  Religion  can  not  be  harmed  by 
breaking  a  church  window,  nor  is  the  majesty  of  God  insulted  by  an 
assault  upon  a  clergjTuan.  If  that  does  happen,  then  it  is  mighty  poor 
religion  that  can  not  stand  so  small  a  thing. 

Applying  the  idea  to  racial  epithets : 

You  do  not  offend  a  Jew  now,  bv  speaking  of  “Sheenies,”  because 

3— L  S 


84 


EARNS  RESPECT  FOR  HIS  RACE 


he  knows  that  there  are  Jews  who  are  Sheenies,  that  is,  disreputable 
Jews,  and  he  is  as  anxious  to  get  rid  of  them  as  you  are. 

When  you  mention  “Dagoes”  to  an  Italian,  he  shrugs  his  shoulders 
as  much  as  to  say:  “0,  yes,  there  are  Dagoes  just  the  same  as  there 
are  grafting  Yankees.”  The  Yankee  to  whom  this  is  said  does  not 
get  angry  because  he  knows  that  the  Italian  does  not  mean  the  Yankee 
nation. 

It  is  the  same  with  the  Irishman  and  the  Chinese.  They  laugh  at 
the  application  of  vulgar  terms  to  members  of  their  race  that  deserve 
the  appellation — they  do  not  take  it  to  mean  the  whole  race. 

There  is  a  reason  for  this  diminution  of  racial  prejudice  against 
the  other  races.  That  reason  lies  in  the  fact  that  education  has  put 
the  races  upon  the  same  plane  of  intelligence  and  good  citizenship. 
When  it  comes  to  caricaturing  their  race  in  order  to  create  prejudice 
or  excite  animosities  against  the  whole,  they  protest  and  their  pro¬ 
tests  are  heard  because  they  are  founded  upon  reason  and  common 
sense,  as  well  as  business  sagacity. 

The  movement  among  the  Jews  and  Irish  to  stop  the  caricaturing 
of  their  race  upon  the  theatrical  stage  is  bearing  fruit  and  is  doing 
much  toward  eliminating  race  prejudice. 

All  the  Jewish  organizations  have  combined  to  prevent  caricatures 
of  the  Jewish  traits  of  character  which  are  notoriously  bad,  in  theaters 
of  all  grades  and  to  punish  their  representation.  It  is  a  business  propo¬ 
sition  mainly,  but  it  is  effective.  “You  make  fun  of  the  bad  traits  of 
ray  people,”  intimates  the  Jew,  “and  I  will  not  trade  with  you.” 

Likewise  the  Irish  organizations  are  unanimous  in  their  movement 
to  prevent  and  punish  caricatures  of  the  bad  traits  of  the  Irish  people. 
Says  the  Irishman,  “You  keep  the  Flannel  mouth  off  the  stage,  or  off 
goes  your  head  at  the  next  election.”  This  is  the  loss  of  political  in¬ 
fluence  mainly. 

So  with  the  other  nationalities:  “You  let  us  alone  in  your  carica¬ 
tures,  or  we  will  not  trade  with  you,  work  for  you,  or  vote  for  you.” 

The  consequence  is,  that  high  minded  people,  or  those  who  have 
an  eye  to  profits  and  success  in  their  business  ventures,  find  that  there 


EARNS  RESPECT  FOR  HIS  RACE 


85 


is  less  to  be  gained  from  encouraging  the  immature,  or  half  educated, 
the  bigoted,  and  the  ignorant  whose  race  prejudices  are  based  on  mere 
personal  dislike  or  neighborhood  animosity,  gossip,  or  lies  repeated 
until  they  are  regarded  as  gospel  truth,  than  in  the  business  of  the 
educated  and  cultured  classes,  or  those  who  believe  in  equality  of  op¬ 
portunity. 

The  people  who  cater  to  the  public  are  discovering  that  honey 
catches  more  flies  than  vinegar  and  gall. 

Comic  and  even  sharply  satiric  portrayals  of  Jewish,  Irish,  or  even 
Negro  foibles  are  appreciated  by  these  races  themselves,  just  as  Ameri¬ 
cans  of  other  race  strains  are  amused  by  caricatures  of  themselves. 
But  there  are  limits  beyond  which  race  enmities  and  prejudices  are 
fostered,  and  those  limits  are  to  be  respected,  and  will  be  respected 
when  the  race  affected  establishes  a  high  standard. 

This  can  only  be  done  by  education  and  self-respect.  The  body 
of  men  or  the  race  that  does  not  respect  themselves,  can  not  expect  to 
command  the  respect  of  others. 

There  are  drones  in  every  hive,  and  they  live  on  the  work  of  the 
busy  members  of  the  hive.  If  you  know  anything  about  bees,  you 
must  know  that  these  drones  are  killed  off  and  thrown  out  as  useless 
members  of  the  bee  colony. 

Among  men,  if  a  man  refuses  to  work  when  able,  and  nothing  but 
laziness  is  his  trouble,  he  is  quickly  thrown  out  and  becomes  a  ‘  ‘  tramp,  ’  ’ 
and  when  a  man  becomes  a  tramp,  why  then,  an  ignominious  life  and 
an  ignominious  death  are  his  portions. 

The  Colored  Americans  have  it  within  their  power  to  rise  above 
any  race  prejudice  just  as  the  Jews  and  other  races  are  doing.  They 
made  a  bitter  fight,  and  finding  that  the  Constitution,  while  giving 
them  political  rights,  could  not  give  them  the  respect  of  other  fellow 
citizens,  they  turned  to  education,  business,  employment  and  embraced 
every  opportunity  to  get  on  top  in  progressive  influences  and  they  suc¬ 
ceeded.  They  made  themselves  kings  of  finance  and  are  deeply  con¬ 
cerned  in  scientific  investigations,  appropriating  large  sums  of  money 
to  the  cause  of  education. 


36 


EARNS  RESPECT  FOR  HIS  RACE 


The  Irish  stand  in  the  front  as  builders  and  workers,  and  none 
can  point  his  finger  at  any  particular  successful  Irishman  and  call  him 
a  “Flannel  mouth”  in  derision.  “Paddy”  can  refuse  to  eat  meat  on 
Friday,  or  eat  it  as  he  wishes  without  calling  forth  any  vulgar  remarks 
— he  is  respected  as  a  race  worth  respecting. 

So  with  the  Italian,  he  is  a  worker  and  a  fruit  and  produce  caterer. 
He  is  no  longer  a  mere  member  of  the  ‘  ‘  Dago  ’  ’  race,  he  is  a  respectable 
member  of  the  community.  He  does  something. 

The  once  despised  “Chink”  has  arisen  out  of  ages  of  superstition 
into  an  enlightened  member  of  a  great  republic.  He  is  no  longer  a 
“washee-washee,”  but  a  man.  He  has  cut  off  his  pigtail  and  put  on 
civilized  clothing.  At  a  banquet  or  gathering,  the  chairman  is  proud 
to  introduce  to  the  audience  “My  friend  Wun  Lung,  who  started  out 
as  a  laundryman  in  the  Fifth  Ward,  and  has  risen  up  to  the  presidency 
of  the  great  Ginseng  Company.”  The  Chinese  are  doing  things  and 
none  of  them  is  sitting  around  waiting  for  something  to  turn  up.  They 
go  after  opportunities  and  seize  the  one  nearest  and  hold  on  to  it  until 
another  and  better  one  comes  along  and  then  they  grasp  that. 

We  are  all  living  in  the  present  laying  up  treasures  or  preparing 
for  the  future,  and  the  Colored  American  stands  in  the  same  category 
as  every  other  race.  The  petty  details  incident  to  human  nature  of 
every  kind,  go  away  with  the  present  into  the  past.  Every  footstep 
made  in  the  mud  yesterday  is  sunk  out  of  sight  on  the  morrow.  What 
you  are  called  today,  is  nothing  tomorrow,  if  you  hold  your  position 
in  the  world’s  respect.  Keep  on  doing  something,  and  if  the  epithets 
of  the  vulgar  offer  obstacles  in  the  way  of  your  progress,  then  give 
battle  as  have  the  Jews,  the  Irish,  the  Italians,  and  the  Chinese.  You 
belong  to  a  race  entitled  to  respect  if  you  yourself  respect  it. 


INCREASE  OF  OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR  COLORED  AMERICANS 

Trades,  Business  Occupations,  and  Professions  Opening 
Up  in  Every  Part  of  the  United  States — Four 
Hundred  Millions  of  Acres  of  Fertile  Land 
Waiting  for  the  Tiller — Agricultural  and 
Mechanical  Facilities  Multiply — Honor 
and  Profit  Within  the  Grasp  of 
Every  Colored  American 


Nearly  every  occupation  known  to  the  world  of  endeavor,  that  is 
to  say:  the  trades;  arts  and  sciences;  commerce;  business;  manufac¬ 
tures;  skilled  labor,  and  others,  are  now  filled  by  Colored  Americans 
with  success  and  profit. 

There  are  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  different  occupations  and 
professions  utilized  by  Colored  Americans,  and  not  a  single  occupa¬ 
tion  can  be  mentioned  or  thought  of  that  is  not  open  to  them. 

One  colored  citizen  in  any  business,  occupation,  or  profession, 
means  another  one,  and  the  field  grows  more  extensive  every  year, 
with  the  advantages  offered  by  institutions  of  learning,  trade  and 
mechanical  schools  and  colleges,  and  every  industry  represented  by 
an  institution  of  learning. 

The  Colored  American  is  to  be  found  in  the  Army  and  Navy  of 
the  country,  and  the  walks  of  life  which  are  not  menial  are  so  various 
that  one  is  almost  tempted  to  disbelieve  the  evidence  of  the  record. 

There  are  17  State  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Colleges  in  the 
United  States,  and  in  all  of  them,  the  Colored  American  stands  on  a 
par  with  the  other  races,  often  at  the  head  of  his  class. 

Distributed  through  the  various  States,  are  one  hundred  and 
eighty-four  special  Normal  and  Industrial  schools  of  the  highest  class, 
specially  maintained  for  the  benefit  of  the  Colored  Americans. 

37 


38 


INCEEASE  OF  OPPORTUNITIES 


To  these  add  14  schools  of  law,  medicine,  dentistry,  and  pharmacy, 
and  it  will  be  seen  that  the  colored  citizen  has  opportunities  within 
easj'’  reach. 

If  he  does  not  want  to  fit  himself  for  a  high  position,  then  the 
training  in  the  public  schools  gives  him  an  insight  into  business 
which  makes  him  the  equal  of  any  other  race  in  the  struggle  for 
existence. 

We  must  put  the  Colored  American  upon  the  same  basis,  or  founda¬ 
tion,  as  the  other  races,  and  in  doing  so,  and  giving  him  the  same  ad¬ 
vantages,  it  is  most  astonishing  to  find  that  he  is  improving  along 
the  same  line,  and  in  the  same  ratio  as  the  other  races.  That  is,  the 
Colored  citizen  is  the  intellectual  equal  of  the  other  races,  when 
given  equal  opportunities  and  advantages. 

It  must  be  admitted,  to  be  strictly  just,  that  without  advantages 
of  education  or  uplifting  environment,  the  races  are  also  equal  in 
ignorance  and  prejudice.  A  perusal  of  any  of  our  great  daily  news¬ 
papers  easily  demonstrates  this  as  a  truth. 

TRAINING  SCHOOLS  FOR  WOMEN 

There  are  36  institutions  for  the  education  of  Colored  women,  and 
in  addition,  there  are  63  Training  schools  for  nurses  conducted  by  Col¬ 
ored  Americans. 

It  has  been  proved  numberless  times  by  actual  experience,  under 
the  most  trying  circumstances,  that  our  Colored  women  make  the  very 
tenderest  of  nurses.  In  these  training  schools,  are  to  be  found  the 
most  important  factors  in  the  improvement  of  the  health  of  our  Col¬ 
ored  Americans.  Indeed,  their  services  are  so  valuable  that  they  are 
not  limited  to  their  own  race. 

At  the  close  of  the  Civil  war  only  five  per  cent  of  our  Colored 
Americans  could  read  and  write.  In  the  year  1900,  the  number  had  in¬ 
creased  to  55.5  per  cent,  and  in  1910,  the  number  reached  69.5  per  cent. 
This  is  an  astonishing  increase  in  education,  and  it  proves  the  reason 
why  our  Colored  Americans  are  forging  to  the  front  in  the  arts  and 


INCREASE  OF  OPPORTUNITIES 


39 


sciences,  trade,  commerce,  and  the  professions.  It  is  stupendous  prog¬ 
ress  when  we  consider  that  scarcely  two  generations  were  required  to 
bring  about  this  uplift  of  an  entire  race.  It  takes  the  banner  of  racial 
improvement. 

It  appears  that  the  manufacturing  and  mechanical  pursuits  are 
very  attractive  to  our  Colored  Americans,  the  increase  during  the  last 
ten  years  being  about  40  per  cent.  If  we  may  make  the  comparison, 
it  is  on  record  that  62  and  Ko  per  cent  of  all  our  Colored  Americans 
are  engaged  in  profitable  occupations,  whereas,  there  are  forty-eight 
and  six-tenths  of  the  White  Americans  so  engaged. 

TRADE  AND  MANUFACTURING  PURSUITS 

The  employment  of  Colored  Americans  in  domestic  and  personal 
service  is  becoming  less  and  less  every  year,  under  the  influence  of 
education,  and  is  being  changed  into  trade  and  transportation,  me¬ 
chanical  and  manufacturing  pursuits.  This  means  as  plainly  as  any¬ 
thing,  that  our  Colored  Americans  have  found  opportunities,  and  that 
they  are  taking  advantage  of  them.  And  where  there  have  been  oppor¬ 
tunities  to  permit  such  a  transformation,  there  must  be  others  equally 
as  advantageous  and  numerous — that  is  a  law  of  trade  and  of  progress. 
One  business  or  occupation  successfully  carried  on  always  begets  an¬ 
other. 


THE  JEW,  THE  IRISHMAN  AND  THE  ITALIAN 

In  considering  the  various  occupations,  trades,  etc.,  in  which  our 
Colored  Americans  are  engaged,  the  locality  must  be  taken  into  ac¬ 
count.  The  colored  man,  like  the  Jew,  the  Irishman,  and  the  Italian, 
meets  with  more  prejudice  in  one  than  in  another  locality,  and 
he  must  govern  his  occupation  in  a  great  measure  by  that  prejudice, 
until  he  is  strong  enough  to  overcome  it,  and  intelligent  enough  to 
find  a  way  to  overcome  it. 

There  are  many  who  hold  that  the  Colored  American  in  the  South 
finds  less  opposition  and  prejudice  against  him  in  the  trades  and  occu- 


40 


INCREASE  OF  OPPORTUNITIES 


pations  than  in  the  North.  There  is  less  also  in  the  East  than  in  the 
West,  except  that  in  the  Middle  West,  or  the  northern  portion  of  Mis¬ 
sissippi  Valley,  where  there  is  less  prejudice  against  the  employment 
of  Colored  Americans  outside  the  large  cities  where  the  trades  unions 
prevail  and  control.  Owing  to  this  diminution  of  prejudice  in  the  Mid¬ 
dle  West,  the  number  of  Colored  Americans  in  that  part  of  the  country 
is  increasing,  likewise  improving. 

In  the  South,  it  is  said,  the  differences  between  the  two  races  is 
not  so  much  prejudice  against  employment,  as  a  political  idea  that  the 
Colored  Americans  are  on  the  way  to  obliterate  the  color  line. 

Notwithstanding  this  opposition,  the  Colored  American  readily 
finds  room  for  his  labor  where  he  would  be  impeded  in  the  North  and 
West  from  the  opposition  of  the  great  labor  unions,  the  great  aim  of 
which  is  material  progress  and  not  intellectual. 

It  is  for  the  Colored  American,  therefore,  to  govern  his  choice  of 
a  business,  trade,  or  profession  by  the  locality  in  which  he  lives  or 
purposes  remaining  during  his  natural  life.  In  that  selection,  he  is 
afforded  advantages  to  rise  to  any  limit  of  perfection  and  thus  obtain 
profit  from  his  talents  and  capacity. 

THE  SKILLED  WORKMAN 

The  man  who  limits  himself  to  become  a  skilled  workman,  or  a 
successful  tradesman  anywhere,  must  drop  his  personal  grievances, 
and  not  attempt  to  father  the  evils  and  troubles  of  the  race  upon  him¬ 
self. 

Who  cares  about  the  downtrodden  condition  of  Ireland!  The 
Irishman  who  is  constantly  calling  attention  to  the  heel  of  the  oppressor 
upon  his  neck,  makes  a  poor  workman  and  remains  stationary  in  the 
lower  level. 

The  Jew  who  talks  about  the  sufferings  of  his  race  receives  but 
little  sympathy  because  he  is  referring  to  ancient  history.  So  it  is 
with  the  others  and  so  it  is  with  everybody  who  attempts  to  take  upon 
his  own  shoulders  the  ills  and  burdens  of  the  whole.  In  the  first  place, 
it  is  not  his  business,  and  in  the  second  place,  people  around  him  are 


INCREASE  OF  OPPORTUNITIES 


41 


fighting  their  way  up,  while  he  is  always  looking  down  to  see  how  far 
he  must  fall,  and  he  gets  dizzy  and  does  fall. 

It  is  an  old  but  true  saying  applicable  to  Colored  Americans  as  it 
is  applied  to  everybody  else:  “Laugh  and  the  world  laughs  with  you; 
weep,  and  you  weep  alone.” 

There  is  one  subject  of  the  greatest  importance  to  Colored  Ameri¬ 
cans,  because  the  opportunities  are  enormous,  but  they  will  be  lost  in 
the  course  of  time,  and  can  never  be  regained. 

That  subject  is  the  land  question;  the  farm  problem. 

It  is  almost  like  sounding  a  tocsin  to  repeat  what  everybody  is 
saying,  every  economist  urging,  and  every  civic  reformer  giving  as  the 
remedy  for  overcrowded  cities,  and  a  cure  for  vice  and  crime:  “Back 
to  the  farm.” 

In  the  “Wise  man’s  philosophy,”  every  Colored  American  is  ad¬ 
vised  to  become  a  land  owner.  Get  an  acre,  two  acres,  ten  acres,  twenty 
acres,  forty  acres,  and  so  on.  Why?  There  are  two  good  reasons  why : 

1.  Every  man  must  have  a  home  of  some  kind  unless  he  prefers 
to  be  a  tramp  or  a  beggar  with  his  hand  held  out  for  pennies. 

2.  There  is  no  possible  uplift  without  being  a  producer  of  some¬ 
thing,  and  land  offers  the  easiest  solution  of  the  production  problem. 

FORTUNES  TO  BE  MADE 

The  enormous  markets  of  the  country  in  our  great  cities,  make 
such  a  heavy  demand  upon  production,  that  the  commonest  vegetables 
and  fruit  are  brought  from  great  distances  at  a  high  cost  of  transporta¬ 
tion.  Within  reach  of  every  populous  center,  there  is  to  be  found  va¬ 
cant  land  that  could  be  made  productive  with  very  little  labor,  and  the 
result  would  be  profitable,  for  the  supply  must  keep  up  with  the  de¬ 
mand.  But  out  in  the  vast  territories  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  there 
are  fortunes  to  be  made  in  producing  cereals,  cotton,  tobacco,  live  stock, 
butter,  poultry,  and  fruit.  There  is  an  unlimited  field,  and  every  one 
who  has  ventured  into  it  finds  a  large  reward  in  a  good  bank  account. 
A  man  cannot  begin  and  then,  when  he  gets  tired,  lie  down  in  the  fur- 


42 


INCEEASE  OF  OPPORTUNITIES 


row  and  expect  nature  to  pull  him  out.  It  never  has  and  it  never  will 
as  many  know  to  their  cost. 

It  is  estimated,  that  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  its  adjoining  ter¬ 
ritory,  outside  of  mountain  tops  and  rivers  and  lakes,  there  are  in  the 
markets,  four  hundred  million  acres  of  land  as  fertile  as  the  valley  of 
the  river  Nile.  It  is  beyond  the  reach  of  present  railroad  transporta¬ 
tion  and  therefore  it  has  been  left  untilled. 

It  matters  little  whether  this  enormous  quantity  of  land  exists  or 
whether  it  is  exaggerated  by  one-half,  it  is  a  fact  that  millions  upon 
millions  of  acres  of  land  are  left  untilled  and  can  be  had  for  small  sums 
of  money.  There  are  lands  in  Texas  as  an  illustration,  which  can  be 
purchased  for  from  one  to  four  dollars  an  acre,  with  forty  years  to  pay 
for  it  in.  This  is  not  only  the  case  in  Texas,  but  cheap  land  can  be  had 
even  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  or  New  York.  In  the  great  corn  belt,  the 
farmers  raise  corn  only,  and  even  buy  and  bring  their  butter,  eggs  and 
fresh  vegetables  from  Chicago  or  St.  Louis.  Whoever  heard  of  such 
a  thriftless  condition!  It  is  true,  corn  pays,  but  there  is  such  a  thing 
as  getting  too  much  of  one  thing  and  not  enough  of  another. 

Investigation  and  inquiry  shows  that  if  a  man  should  start  a  small 
vegetable  garden  anywhere,  on  rented  land,  and  supply  the  corn  barons 
with  vegetables,  eggs  and  butter,  he  would  make  a  good  profit  and  get 
a  large  trade. 

The  idea  sought  to  be  conveyed  is,  that  by  taking  advantage  of  a 
demand  where  there  is  no  supply,  there  is  an  opportunity  to  be  seized 
without  arguing  about  it.  It  is  there. 

The  advent  of  the  motor  truck,  which  runs  into  localities  fifty  or  a 
hundred  miles  distant,  carrying  from  five  to  ten  tons  of  a  load,  and 
trailing  as  much  more,  offers  an  opportunity  for  several  workers  to 
club  together  and  carry  their  products  to  market  at  small  expense. 

Our  agricultural  and  mechanical  colleges  are  turning  their  attention 
in  that  direction,  and  preparing  to  fill  the  field.  But  it  is  a  large  field 
and  can  not  be  fully  occupied  in  a  hundred  years  to  come. 

It  is  worth  thinking  about  when  a  Colored  American  is  in  doubt 
what  opportunity  to  seize. 


INCREASE  OF  OPPORTUNITIES 


43 


The  main  object  in  every  man’s  life,  if  he  has  any  manhood  and 
intelligence,  is  to  produce  something.  He  may  use  his  hands  or  he  may 
use  his  brain,  but  the  result  is  that  something  is  produced,  and  what¬ 
ever  is  produced  possesses  some  value. 

THE  FIELD  OF  OPPORTUNITY 

Ten  per  cent  of  our  population  is  made  up  of  Colored  Americans. 
This  number  creates  a  demand  that  it  would  be  profitable  to  supply, 
but  when  it  is  considered  that  the  other  ninety  per  cent,  or  ninety  mil¬ 
lions  of  people  are  constantly  demanding  something,  and  take  every¬ 
thing  that  comes  along,  there  is  an  everlasting  field  of  opportunity  into 
which  every  Colored  American  can  fit  in  some  capacity  if  he  makes  the 
slightest  effort. 


THE  COLORED  AMERICAN  IN  THE 
EMPLOY  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES  GOVERNMENT 


The  Army,  Navy,  Government  Services,  and  Legislatures 
— Opportunities  to  Colored  Americans  to  Distinguish 
Themselves — Heroes  and  Patriots  Furnished  by  the 
Race — The  Advantage  of  Discipline  in  the  Forma¬ 
tion  of  Character — Avenues  to  Honor  and  Renown. 

The  Federal  government  is  a  large  and  generous  employer  of  men 
of  every  nationality  where  brains  and  capacity  are  shown  to  exist.  In 
fact,  there  is  no  country  in  the  world  where  so  many  opportunities  are 
offered  to  its  people  of  every  class. 

Not  only  subordinate  positions  may  be  sought  with  perfect  con¬ 
fidence  of  a  raise  in  rank  or  grade,  but  the  very  highest  positions  are 
within  reach.  This  pertains  to  our  Colored  Americans  without  dis¬ 
tinction. 


IN  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

In  the  Army  and  Navy,  beginning  with  the  revolutionary  war,  Col¬ 
ored  Americans  have  taken  an  active  part  side  by  side  with  their  other 
fellow  citizens  in  removing  the  foreign  shackles  from  the  limbs  of  the 
nation. 

The  War  of  1812  also  brought  out  Colored  Americans  to  drive  the 
foreigner  from  our  shores,  and  in  both  great  wars  the  fighting  ability 
and  courage  of  Colored  Americans  have  been  amply  tested,  weighed 
in  the  balance,  so  to  speak,  and  not  found  wanting. 


IN  THE  EMPLOY  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT 


45 


The  heroism  displayed  by  thousands  of  Colored  Americans  in  the 
great  Civil  War,  not  only  convinced  the  world  of  the  sincerity  and 
patriotism  of  Colored  Americans,  but  impressed  the  nation  as  well. 
The  result  of  this  devotion  to  country  and  its  interests,  opened  the  eyes 
of  the  government  to  an  element  of  strength  which  it  had  recognized 
but  had  not  fostered  to  any  great  extent. 

It  is  different  now,  for  the  government  takes  from  the  ranks  of  Col¬ 
ored  Americans  its  best  and  ablest  men,  satisfied  from  experience  that 
whatever  duties  are  imposed  upon  them  will  be  ably  and  intelligently 
performed. 


FORCE  OF  CHARACTER 

Along  this  line,  the  struggle  of  Colored  Americans  to  acquire  by 
force  of  character  and  education,  a  high  station  and  to  fit  themselves 
for  any  position  of  honor  in  the  government,  has  met  with  success. 

Not  only  in  the  army  and  navy,  but  in  the  halls  of  Congress,  the 
Colored  American  has  demonstrated  his  wisdom,  sagacity,  and  states¬ 
manship. 

It  is  historical  that  the  first  martyr  in  the  Boston  massacre,  a  re¬ 
sistance  to  British  tyranny,  was  the  Negro,  Crispus  Attacks.  In  the 
War  of  Independence  so  many  of  the  Colored  Americans  made  them¬ 
selves  conspicuous  in  their  fight  for  national  independence,  that  they 
were  recognized  by  Congress  and  the  States  as  national  defenders. 

At  the  siege  of  Savannah,  October  9,  1779,  it  was  the  Black  Legion 
under  Count  D’Estaing  that  covered  the  retreat  and  repulsed  the  charge 
of  the  British,  saving  from  annihilation  the  defeated  American  and 
French  army. 

In  the  War  of  1812,  the  Colored  American  was  conspicuous  for  his 
bravery.  One-tenth  of  the  crews  of  the  fighting  ships  on  the  Great 
Lakes  were  Colored  Americans.  In  the  great  picture  of  Perry’s  victory 
on  Lake  Erie,  may  be  seen  a  Colored  American  sailor. 

Two  battalions  of  five  hundred  Colored  Americans  distinguished 


46 


IN  THE  EMPLOY  OP  THE  GOVERNMENT 


themselves  under  General  Jackson  at  the  Battle  of  New  Orleans.  In 
1814,  2,000  Colored  Americans  enlisted  for  the  war  and  were  sent  to  the 
army  at  Sackett’s  Harbor,  where  they  performed  deeds  of  valor. 

RECORDS  OF  THE  WAR  DEPARTMENT 

During  the  great  Civil  War,  178,975  Colored  Americans  took  up 
arms  and  fought  side  by  side  with  the  men  of  the  North  to  maintain 
the  nation.  The  records  of  the  War  Department  at  Washington  show 
that  the  Negro  troops  were  engaged  in  many  of  the  bloodiest  battles  of 
the  war,  distinguished  themselves  more  especially  at  Port  Hudson,  Fort 
Wagner,  Milligan’s  Bend,  and  Petersburg. 

In  the  late  war  with  Spain,  in  1898,  Colored  American  soldiers  took 
a  more  conspicuous  part  than  in  any  other  war  waged  by  the  United 
States.  In  the  famous  battle  of  San  Juan  Hill,  the  Ninth  and  Tenth 
Cavalry  and  Twenty-fourth  Infantry  rendered  heroic  service.  Col. 
Roosevelt  delights  to  tell  of  the  part  the  Colored  Americans  took  with 
his  Rough  Riders.  It  is  even  said,  that  without  the  aid  of  the  Colored 
troops,  the  gallant  Colonel  would  not  have  gone  up  the  hill. 

All  this  is  evidence  of  physical  prowess,  patriotism  and  courage. 
History  has  been  made,  and  now  the  country  is  ready  for  the  results 
of  a  glorious  history  and  as  honorable  a  record  as  that  exhibited  by  any 
race  on  earth.  Out  of  it  has  come  a  regular  demand  of  the  government 
to  make  Colored  Americans  a  part  and  parcel  of  its  army  and  navy, 
and  the  ranks  of  many  regiments  of  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery  are 
filled  with  heroes  who  have  won  their  baptism  of  fire  in  the  Philippines, 
and  others  who  are  ready  and  fired  with  zeal  to  earn  their  spurs  in 
some  well  contested  field  of  battle.  They  have  but  to  ask,  to  be  re¬ 
ceived. 

Out  of  this  also,  has  grown  a  confidence  that  has  made  the  Col¬ 
ored  American  a  man  of  energy,  fired  him  with  an  interest  in  improve¬ 
ment,  and  a  seeker  after  education.  Out  of  his  noble  history  has  grown 
a  spirit  of  emulation,  that  impels  him  to  aspire  to  high  position  not 
only  as  deserved  but  because  he  is  fitted  to  fill  it. 


IN  THE  EMPLOY  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT 


47 


With  the  twenty-five  United  States  Senators  and  Congressmen  who 
have  done  good  service  for  the  nation  at  large,  and  have  been  faithful 
to  the  traditions  of  their  race,  the  record  is  augmented. 

In  the  executive  branch  of  the  government,  Colored  Americans  are 
conspicuous  for  their  ability  in  highly  responsible  positions. 

IN  THE  GOVERNMENT  SERVICE 

In  the  Treasury  Department,  the  Attorney  General’s  Department, 
the  Auditor  of  the  Navy,  Customs  Department,  Internal  Revenue,  Land 
Office,  and  others,  there  is  no  dearth  of  efficient  Colored  Americans  per¬ 
forming  onerous  duties  and  engaged  in  unraveling  intricate  govern¬ 
mental  details  with  as  much  ease  and  intelligence  as  if  to  the  manner 
born. 

In  the  diplomatic  and  consular  service,  the  Colored  American  is 
fast  making  his  way  upward,  many  important  posts  being  now  filled  by 
them  with  honor  to  the  country,  and  dignity  to  their  positions. 

With  all  these  advantages  in  the  way  of  opportunities,  it  can  not 
be  said  that  Colored  Americans  are  being  crowded  to  the  wall.  Where 
prejudice  does  hold  him  back,  it  is  in  small  localities  where  there  is 
prejudice  against  everything,  not  the  making  of  the  prejudiced  people 
themselves.  There  is  a  prejudice  against  the  Creator  Himself,  and  to 
expect  all  persons  to  drop  prejudice  is  to  expect  more  than  the  Al¬ 
mighty  can  cure. 

It  is  a  fact  that  a  blind  man  must  be  able  to  perceive,  that  the  bitter 
prejudice  is  becoming  less  aggravating.  The  rough  edges  of  personal 
opposition  are  being  worn  down  smooth,  and  in  the  course  of  less  than 
another  generation,  the  prejudices  against  Colored  Americans  will  be 
almost  a  horrid  dream  of  the  past. 

THE  DIGNITY  OF  THE  RACE 

It  is  for  the  Colored  American  to  help  smother  the  remaining  shad¬ 
ows  of  former  prejudices  by  maintaining  the  dignity  of  his  race,  and 
by  education,  fitting  himself  to  stand  beside  any  race  on  the  earth.  He 


48 


IN  THE  EMPLOY  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT 


has  done  it,  is  doing  it,  and  the  incentives  are  offered  for  still  doing  it. 

Remember  what  Colored  Americans  are  doing;  the  positions  they 
are  filling  by  their  education  and  energy;  none  of  them  are  asleep  in 
the  furrow  hut  are  busy  harvesting — doing  something.  If  they  do 
nothing  else,  they  are  demonstrating  that  Colored  Americans  can  do 
the  same  things,  fill  the  same  positions  as  the  other  races,  and  that 
they  possess  an  equally  balanced  intelligence,  and  have  the  same  brain 
power  as  others.  They  never  spend  their  time  quarreling  with  fate,  but 
overcome  fate,  and  manufacture  opportunity  and  ride  upon  destiny  as 
upon  a  fiery  steed,  curbing  it  with  the  whip  and  the  lash  of  education 
and  intelligence,  mingled  with  energy  and  persistent  determination. 

These  are  the  reasons  why  the  Colored  American  must  win  if  he 
tries. 


iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuujiliiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuuiiiiuuiuiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 


The  Story  of  a  Rising 
Race  Told  in 
Pictures 


PHOTOGRAPHED  FROM  LIFE 


Special 

Collection 


RELIGIOUS 

PHILANTHROPIC 

EDUCATIONAL 

FRATERNAL 


TllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllinilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllMlllllllilllllltllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllr 


UlllllllllltllSIflliniMlllllllllllllllllllllJUIlllllIlUlllllllIlllllllUllUlllllllllliUllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllillllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllJIllllllllliUlllllMllllllllllllllIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllll 


IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  GOD 

A  meeting  of  the  officers  of  the  various  churches  of  all  denominations. 


UNITY  IN  RELIGION 


^::i  I 


SEEKERS  AFTER  TRUTH 

Graduating  Class  of  the  Bible  Training  School,  Theological  Department,  Tuskegee  Institute. 


CHRISTIAN  UNITY,  FELLOWSHIP  AND  EDUCATION 
Inter-Scholastic  Young-  Men’s  Christian 'Association  Meeting,  held  at  King's  Mountain,  N.  C.,  May,  1913. 


*-'k 


SONGS  OF  PRAISE 

Vested  Choir  attending  devotional  services.  Howard  University,  Washington, 


REFINING  AND  CHRISTIAN  INFLUENCE 

The  Reading-  Ronm  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Y'ashington,  D.  C.  1'lie  yonng  men  are  studious  and 
deeply  interested  in  tlieir  educational  and  Christian  work. 


COLORED  SISTERS  OF  THE  HOLY  FAMILY 

The  Holy  Family  Convent  at  New  Orleans  has  eight  Catholic  Schools  in  Louisiana  and  two  in  Texas. 
The  students  are  taught  Industrial  Art,  Embroidery,  Music,  etc.,  and  become  very  efficient. 


BRINGING  THE  BOYS  TOGETHER  FOR  SELF-IMPROVEMENT 

Social  Settlement  Workers  teaching  boys  innocent  games  and  interesting  them  in  developing 
their  characters  in  order  to  make  them  useful  citizens. 


The  Fourth  Annual  Conference  of  The  National  Association  for  the  advancement  of  Colored  People, 
at  Chicago.  In  the  group  are,  Jane  Addams,  Dr.  DuBois,  Bishop  Lee,  Dr.  C.  E.  Bent]e3^  and 

many  other  well  known  men  and  women.  _ 


WORLD  WIDE  EDUCATIONAL  MOVEMENT 

International  Conference  on  better  education  held  at  Tuskegee  July,  1912. 


M.  E.  Sunday  School  Publishing  House,  Nashville,  Tennessee.  An  association  which 
spreads  “Christian  Teaching”  broadcast  and  opens  an  avenue  for  the  employment  of 

intelligent  men  and  women  of  the  race. 


MYSTIC  SHRINERS 


I-  o 
dj  tn 
’X3  ^ 
C  < 
cS 


m 

< 

CIh 


o  ^ 
U 


Dh  t>fl 


^o 

CO  a> 


(U 

cj  -n 
n  a> 


ODD  FELLOWS  ANNUAL  BANQUET 

■ndance  arc  such  national  characters  as  Booker  T.  AVashington.  Ex-Register  J.  C.  Napier, 
Former  Register  J.  D.  Lyons,  Ex-Recorder  of  Deeds  Lincoln  Johnson,  the  Local 
Grand  Master,  and  others  equally  well  known. 


2  ^ 

o  u 


THE  COLORED  AMERICAN  IN  THE 
SERVICE  OF  GOD 


The  Church  as  a  Career  for  Colored  Americans — Influence  of 
Religion  a  Powerful  Incentive  to  Success — Opportunities  to 
Follow  an  Honorable  Vocation — High  Religious  Aspira¬ 
tions  an  Inborn  Sentiment  of  the  Race — Men  Who  Have 
Been  Pioneers  in  the  Field. 


The  church  offers  an  opportunity  to  embrace  a  high  and  honorable 
calling,  a  career  that  is  the  noblest  in  the  world. 

The  spirit  of  religion  is  an  instinct  of  the  race,  and  the  past  decade 
or  two  has  demonstrated  that  the  spirit  has  quickened  into  a  most 
beneficial  activity,  and  is  exerting  an  infiuence  for  good  that  has  made 
itself  felt. 

Before  the  race  lifted  itself  up  on  the  wings  of  freedom,  there  was 
good  soil  to  cultivate,  and  many  apostles  and  evangelists  of  the  Christ 
prepared  the  way  for  the  present  splendid  hierarchy.  The  latter  are 
preparing  the  way  for  their  successors  in  the  same  manner  as  their 
predecessors,  but  the  field  is  enlarged  to  enormous  dimensions.  The 
laborers  in  the  vineyard  are  becoming  too  few  to  gather  the  harvest,  so 
it  is  necessary  to  prepare  leaders  of  advanced  thought  to  keep  pace 
with  the  work,  and  to  increase  it. 

The  Colored  Americans  are  the  fruitful  vineyard,  that  is  constantly 
increasing  and  there  must  be  more  laborers.  The  foundation  is  laid, 
the  way  is  open,  and  the  young  Colored  American  with  a  vocation  has 
not  far  to  seek  to  find  an  open  door. 

There  is  loving  memory  for  Rev.  Lemuel  Haynes,  the  revolutionary 
soldier,  who  drew  the  sword  for  his  country  and  never  laid  it  down 
until  the  last  foreign  enemy  had  left  the  country.  Then,  he  turned  his 

4— L  S  49 


50  COLORED  AMERICAN  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  GOD 


SAVord  into  the  Word  of  God,  and  fought  the  powers  of  evil  as  the  first 
Congregational  minister  in  the  United  States. 

In  loAung  memory  is  held  Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne,  the  most  re¬ 
markable  preacher  among  his  race  that  has  ever  been  produced.  He 
was  responsible  more  than  anyone  else  for  the  Wilberforce  Community 
and  University. 

For  sixty  years  the  celebrated  John  Jasper,  a  preacher  of  highest 
virtue,  piety  and  sincerity,  labored  to  bring  souls  to  God,  becoming  a 
national  character. 

There  were  Alexander  Crummell,  the  eminent  Colored  Episcopal 
minister  and  author;  Henry  Highland  Garnett,  missionary,  army  chap¬ 
lain,  and  diplomat;  Joseph  S.  Attwell,  missionary  and  rector,  till  his 
death,  of  St.  Philip’s  church.  New  York  City. 

THE  FORCE  FOR  GOOD 

All  these  and  many  more  have  gone  before  and  left  their  influence 
as  a  continuing  operative  force  for  good. 

Let  us  mention  one  Colored  American  woman  who  is  still  among 
us,  Amanda  Smith,  distinguished  as  an  evangelist  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  This  eminent  lady  taught  herself  to  read  and  write 
by  cutting  out  large  letters  from  newspapers,  laying  them  on  the  win¬ 
dow  sill  and  getting  her  mother  to  make  them  into  words. 

Her  evangelical  labors  extended  to  Africa,  India,  England  and 
Scotland.  The  remainder  of  her  useful  days  she  is  spending  in  charge 
of  the  Amanda  Smith  Orphans’  Home  for  Colored  children,  at  Harvey, 
Illinois,  a  suburb  of  Chicago. 

Through  the  influence  of  the  Christian  labors  of  the  past  and  gone 
apostles,  and  the  apostleship  of  their  enlightened  and  pious  followers 
and  successors,  religion  has  developed  amazingly  among  our  Colored 
Americans. 

Of  Colored  American  members  of  white  denominational  churches, 
numbering  5,377,  there  are  477,792  communicants. 

Of  Colored  American  members  of  Independent  Negro  denomina¬ 
tions  numbering  31,393  churches,  there  are  3,207,305  communicants. 


COLORED  AMERICAN  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  GOD 


51 


THE  CAUSE  OF  RELIGION 

As  showing  their  faith  demonstrated  by  good  works,  the  Colored 
Americans  are  supporting  34,689  schools,  and  contributing  1,750,000 
children  to  the  cause  of  religion  and  education.  They  have  donated 
in  money  more  than  sixty  million  dollars  to  church  property. 

The  shepherds  guiding  this  enormous  flock,  consist  of  Bishops  of 
the  highest  attainments  as  scholars,  teachers,  and  pious  divines. 

The  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  seven  Bishops  with 
an  able  executive  corps  of  ten  members. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  under  the  guidance  of 
fourteen  wise  shepherd  Bishops,  with  an  executive  staff  of  eleven  emi¬ 
nently  qualified  divines. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church,  has  nine  Bishops, 
devoted  men  all  of  them,  aided  by  a  staff  of  workers  numbering  six¬ 
teen  divines,  lawyers,  editors,  missionaries  and  financiers. 

The  Afro-American  Presbyterian  council  consists  of  three  presi¬ 
dents  and  a  secretary.  The  National  Baptist  Convention  is  guided  by 
Rev.  E.  C.  Morris,  D.  D.,  President,  of  Helena,  Ark.,  aided  by  Rev.  W. 
G.  Parks,  Vice-President  at  Large,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  eleven  sec¬ 
retaries. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  one  Colored  Bishop,  Isaiah 
B.  Scott,  D.  D.,  LL.D.,  Missionary  Bishop  to  Liberia  and  West  Africa, 
Monrovia,  Liberia. 

The  general  offices  and  officers,  however,  are  in  the  United  States, 
and  consist  of  eleven  clergymen  and  other  distinguished  men  who  at¬ 
tend  to  missionary  work  and  executive  duties  generally. 

There  are  numerous  Roman  Catholic  priests  among  our  Colored 
Americans,  some  of  whom  occupy  high  positions  as  educators.  Rev. 
Charles  Randolph  Uncles  is  a  professor  in  the  Epiphany  Apostolic  Col¬ 
lege,  Walbrook,  Baltimore,  Maryland.  Rev.  John  H.  Dorsey  is  a  teach¬ 
er  and  Assistant  Principal  in  the  St.  Joseph  College  for  Negro  Cate¬ 
chists,  Montgomery,  Alabama.  Rev.  Joseph  Burgess  is  a  professor  in 
the  Apostolic  College,  at  Cornwells,  Pennsylvania. 


52  GOLOBED  AMEEICAN  IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  GOD 


YOUNG  MEN’S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION 

The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  among  Colored  Americans 
presents  an  illustration  of  the  growth  of  the  religious  spirit  in  addition 
to  that  exhibited  by  the  churches,  but  of  course,  affiliated  with  them  to 
a  greater  or  less  degree.  From  the  first  student  association  at  the  How¬ 
ard  University,  organized  in  1869,  there  are  now  six  International  Sec¬ 
retaries,  96  associations  organized  in  Colored  American  educational  in¬ 
stitutions,  with  an  enrollment  of  15,000  male  students,  and  forty-five 
city  associations  scattered  over  23  States.  The  Colored  women  of  the 
United  States  began  organizing  Y.  W.  C.  A.  work  in  1896,  and  there  are 
now  37  associations  affiliated  with  the  national  organization,  with  12 
city  associations  for  Colored  women. 

In  connection  with  church  or  religious  matters,  the  work  of  the 
Colored  Women’s  Christian  Temperance  Union  should  not  be  forgot¬ 
ten.  This  great  national  association  makes  for  morals,  sobriety,  good 
citizenship  and  education. 

With  all  these  remarkably  large  and  numerous  opportunities,  the 
young  Colored  American  should  be  able  to  find  an  opening  for  his  de¬ 
sired  ambition  to  be  an  apostle  among  his  fellow  men. 

The  spirit  is  working  and  inspires  the  race  with  noble  ambitions, 
and  all  the  human  virtues  possible  to  inculcate  in  this  world. 

It  may  be  said,  in  passing,  that  to  lead  the  souls  of  men  to  eternal 
bliss  in  the  world  beyond  is  the  noblest  and  highest  attainable  profes- 
lion  or  calling.  In  preparing  men  for  a  future  home  beyond  the  skies, 
he  is  converted  into  an  advanced  man  of  morals  and  good  qualities  on 
this  earth  to  fit  him  for  the  next  world. 

Men  and  nations  have  sometimes  forgotten  God,  but  their  end  has 
always  been  untimely. 


LEADERS  OF  AMERICA  WHOSE 
EARS  ARE  CLOSE  TO  THE 
GROUND 

Americans,  Regardless  of  Color,  Who  are  Lead¬ 
ing  the  People  out  of  the  Wilderness  and 
Teaching  the  Brotherhood  of  Man. 


We  have  at  the  present  time  in  the  United  States  certain  persons 
regarded  as  eminent  in  progress  and  advanced  thought,  who  must  be 
reckoned  with  when  it  comes  to  human  improvement,  and  the  removal 
of  obstacles  to  man’s  intellectual  life  and  physical  welfare. 

There  have  been  numberless  proofs  in  the  years  gone  by,  in  fact, 
we,  have  only  to  survey  the  pages  of  all  history,  to  learn  that  it  is  a 
law  of  human  nature,  that  there  is  no  distinction  between  color  and 
race,  and  that  brains,  intellect,  soul,  are  and  always  will  be  the  test, 
the  criterion,  the  standard  of  human  excellence. 

To  review  the  past  would  be  to  open  the  door  to  endless  pages  of 
history,  and  require  pages  of  illustrious  names  that  have  shone  like 
stars  in  the  human  firmament. 

Those  who  are  engaged  in  the  development  of  the  human  family, 
and  apparently  unconsciously  working  out  the  designs  of  God  in  their 
persistent  advocacy  of  human  betterment,  the  destruction  of  inefficient 
environments,  and  the  promotion  of  peace  and  good  will,  as  well  as  the 
preservation  of  health,  are  numerous.  Strikingly  prominent  are  many 
of  our  Americans  who  seem  to  be  blessed  with  an  almost  prophetic  in¬ 
sight,  and  the  ability  to  bring  about  changes  in  unpleasant  conditions. 

63 


54 


LEADERS’  EARS  ARE  CLOSE  TO  THE  GROUND 


THEODORE  ROOSEVELT 

We  have  in  Theodore  Roosevelt,  a  man  of  many  parts,  none  of 
which  is  unimportant  but  all  of  them  vital.  When  he  speaks  upon  any 
subject  he  not  only  speaks  with  determination  but  with  an  absolute 
knowledge  of  the  subjects  he  treats. 

‘  ‘  Col.  ’  ’  Roosevelt,  as  he  delights  to  be  called,  began  in  the  New  York 
legislature,  then  became  President  of  the  New  York  City  Police  Com¬ 
mission,  where  he  did  some  powerful  work  in  suppressing  vice  and  the 
saloon  evil.  Becoming  too  powerful  a  factor  in  American  affairs  after 
his  brilliant  career  as  Governor  of  New  York,  he  was  nominated  as 
Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  the  politicians  thinking  thus  to 
close  his  career. 

But  he  became  President  of  the  United  States,  succeeding  to  that 
high  office  through  the  deplorable  assassination  of  President  McKinley, 
and  received  the  suffrages  of  the  people  for  a  second  term  because  of 
his  energetic  Americanism,  and  as  an  exponent  of  ‘  ‘  Fair  Play.  ’  ’ 

He  is  now  a  private  citizen,  but  as  distinguished  and  as  influential 
as  if  he  were  filling  the  Presidential  office.  He  is  all  energy,  persistence 
and  force  of  character.  He  will  fight,  talk,  or  argue  his  points,  as  long 
as  he  can  stand  on  his  feet,  and  then  he  will  write  them  to  the  world. 
No  such  man  ever  before  lived  in  the  United  States. 

On  the  other  hand,  among  our  Colored  Americans,  there  stand  at 
the  top  two  great  leaders,  Dr.  Washington  and  Prof.  DuBois.  Both  of 
these  men  represent  different  schools  of  thought  and  each  of  them  has 
an  equally  large  following.  This  is  encouraging,  because  working  along 
different  lines,  as  is  the  case  with  diverse  national  parties,  one  serves 
as  a  check  upon  the  other,  and  without  going  to  extremes  they  may 
follow  a  happy  medium. 

PROF.  BOOKER  T.  WASHINGTON 

Professor  Booker  T.  Washington,  whose  aims,  exertions  and  suc¬ 
cess  tends  to  advance  his  race  along  the  same  lines  as  other  races,  is 
meeting  with  tremendous  results,  bringing  about  a  more  decided  re¬ 
spect  for  the  intelligence  of  Colored  Americans. 


LEADERS’  EARS  ARE  CLOSE  TO  THE  GROUND 


55 


Mr.  Washington,  born  in  1857,  has,  by  grit  and  determination, 
reached  the  leadership  of  his  race,  and  become  one  of  the  great  men  of 
the  nation. 

After  a  life  spent  in  struggles  to  acquire  an  education,  he  was  rec¬ 
ognized  as  a  great  teacher,  and  called  upon  to  take  charge  of  a  normal 
school  at  Tuskegee,  Alabama,  established  by  the  legislature.  He  or¬ 
ganized  the  school  on  July  4th,  the  anniversary  of  American  Independ¬ 
ence,  an  idea  that  denotes  the  character  of  the  man. 

Since  that  period,  the  widely  known  Tuskegee  Institute  has  made 
such  progress  that,  today,  the  site  of  the  institution  is  a  city  of  itself. 

Mr.  Washington  worked  his  way  to  pay  for  his  education  at  the 
Hampton  Institute,  Hampton,  Virginia.  What  he  did  and  how  he  did 
it  is  best  described  by  himself  in  giving  his  experiences  at  Hampton : 

SELF  HELP  FOR  YOUTH 

“While  at  Hampton  I  resolved,  if  God  permitted  me  to  finish  the 
course  of  study,  I  would  enter  the  far  South,  the  black  belt  of  the  Gulf 
States,  and  give  my  life  in  providing  as  best  I  could  the  same  kind  of 
chance  or  self-help  for  the  youth  of  my  race  that  I  found  ready  for  me 
when  I  went  to  Hampton,  and,  so,  in  1881,  I  left  Hampton  and  went  to 
Tuskegee  and  started  the  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute.” 

Mr.  Washington  literally  worked  his  way  through  college.  He 
helped  unload  a  vessel  to  get  money  to  reach  Hampton,  and  while  there 
did  odd  jobs  of  manual  work,  and  acted  as  janitor. 

Referring  to  another  American  of  another  race.  President  Wood- 
row  Wilson  stands  first,  in  reality  he  is  the  first  gentleman  in  the  land. 

PRESIDENT  WILSON 

President  Wilson  is  an  uplifter  rather  than  a  reformer.  When  he 
sees  things  to  be  done  to  better  the  people,  or  to  better  anybody,  for 
that  matter,  he  does  them  and  lets  the  reform  take  care  of  itself. 

He  has  always  been  a  student,  and  a  worker  at  fashioning  brains 


56 


LEADEES’  EAES  AEE  CLOSE  TO  THE  GEOUND 


as  a  teacher,  professor,  college  president  and  at  the  head  of  a  great  uni¬ 
versity — Princeton,  New  Jersey. 

Having  a  trained,  enlightened  mind,  and  not  buried  beneath  books, 
he  expressed  his  views  about  public  matters  and  public  men  who  did 
not  perform  their  duty  to  the  people,  so  vigorously  and  so  truthfully, 
that  he  was  believed,  and  the  people  made  him  governor  of  New  Jersey. 

In  this  office  he  did  so  much  in  altering  distasteful  political  condi¬ 
tions,  that  he  was  considered  a  proper  candidate  for  the  presidency  of 
the  United  States  where  the  same  untoward  conditions  existed  as  in' 
New  Jersey.  He  was  elected,  and  is  doing  things  all  the  time  to  better 
conditions,  and  although  he  has  many  enemies  who  fancy  only  a  settled 
condition  of  things  where  they  will  not  be  disturbed  in  the  manage¬ 
ment  of  them,  the  President  is  driving  them  to  cover  and  will  undoubt¬ 
edly  be  successful  in  his  endeavors. 

Woodrow  Wilson  is  a  man  of  action  and  has  a  large  background 
of  learning  to  fortify  himself.  Fortified  in  every  direction  and  from 
every  point  of  attack,  he  is  not  an  easy  man  to  tackle  or  to  find  fault 
with.  The  opposition  to  him  was  that  he  was  a  university  man,  and 
therefore  he  did  not  know  enough  about  politics  to  carry  the  country 
safely  through  a  four  years’  term.  But  the  people  are  finding  out  that 
it  does  not  require  as  much  politics  to  run  the  country  as  it  does  educa¬ 
tion  and  intelligence  combined  with  energy  and  persistence.  He  is 
beating  down  petty  statesmanship  and  establishing  the  government 
along  the  lines  of  benefit  to  the  people.  He  may  be  considered  as  an  in¬ 
strument  in  the  improvement  of  a  nation,  and  as  giving  it  a  long  start 
back  to  first  principles  which  mean  progress. 


DR.  W.  E.  BURGHARDT  DUBOIS 

A  noted  man  who  is  doing  a  great  work  along  the  line  of  better¬ 
ment  of  the  Colored  Americans  and  directing  their  thoughts  into  high 
altitudes,  is  W.  E.  Burghardt  Du  Bois,  known  as  the  editor  of  “The 
Crisis,’’  A  Eecord  of  the  Darker  Races. 


LEADERS’  EARS  ARE  CLOSE  TO  THE  GROUND 


57 


Dr.  Dll  Bois  stands  on  the  principle  that  intellectual  emancipation 
should  proceed  hand  in  hand  with  economic  independence,  and  he  is 
making  himself  felt  by  the  earnest  advocacy  of  a  truth  that  must  im¬ 
press  the  people  for  whose  interests  he  is  laboring. 

It  may  not  be  known  to  everybody  that  Dr.  Du  Bois  is  one  of  the 
Directors  of  the  National  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Colored 
People. 

The  movement  of  nations  toward  the  accomplishment  of  the  de¬ 
signs  of  the  Almighty  to  make  all  nations  one,  and  in  the  supremacy  of 
the  intellectual  over  physical  force,  is  well  understood  by  Dr.  Du  Bois, 
and  he  is  working  along  that  line  with  other  ardent  humanitarians. 
He  aims  to  accomplish  a  world  peace  and  a  realization  of  human  broth¬ 
erhood. 

To  turn  our  attention  to  another  race,  William  Jennings  Bryan 
looms  up  conspicuously  with  the  others  in  his  struggle  to  bridge  tlie 
chasm  of  prejudice  and  place  all  men  upon  the  road  toward  human  bet¬ 
terment  and  universal  peace. 


WILLIAM  JENNINGS  BRYAN 

For  nearly  twenty  years  William  Jennings  Bryan  has  fought  the 
battle  of  human  rights,  and  his  name  has  become  a  household  word  in 
many  ways.  His  versatility  has  no  limit,  and  to  say  that  he  is  an  ex¬ 
traordinary  man  and  friend  of  the  human  race,  is  saying  one-half  the 
truth. 

Rising  from  the  humble  position  of  an  attorney  in  Lincoln,  Ne¬ 
braska,  Mr.  Bryan  in  an  hour  became  the  leader  of  the  great  masses  of 
the  American  people,  and  he  has  held  his  ground  ever  since.  He  had 
aspirations  and  ambitions,  but  they  were  denied  him  through  adverse 
circumstances,  but  he  never  wavered  in  his  love  for  the  people  and  his 
desire  to  benefit  them  in  their  onward  movement  toward  betterment. 
As  Secretary  of  State  in  the  Cabinet  of  President  Wilson,  he  stands  for 


58 


LEADERS’  EARS  ARE  CLOSE  TO  THE  GROUND 


everything  that  is  admirable  in  a  man  of  honor,  virtue  and  probity,  and 
is  in  line  with  the  great  movement  toward  universal  peace. 

Miss  Jane  Addams  is  a  lady  that  causes  one  to  believe  in  the  human 
race  along  humanitarian  lines.  Miss  Addams  in  her  settlement  work  at 
the  celebrated  “Hull  House”  on  Halsted  Street,  has  incited  others  to 
copy  and  others  have  taken  up  the  great  work  of  bringing  the  homeless 
workers  into  social  contact  for  mutual  benefit.  The  lady  is  not  only  a 
worker  among  the  people,  but  an  author  and  a  lecturer,  whose  example 
may  be  followed  to  advantage. 


THE  COLORED  AMERICANS’ 
NATIONALITY 


The  Colored  Americans’  field  is  the  entire  United  States.  They  are 
an  integral  part  of  the  nation  the  same  as  other  citizens,  and  their 
rapid  progress  entitles  them  to  an  occupation  of  that  field  on  a  par  with 
all  others. 

We  are  fast  getting  rid  of  the  vulgar  epithets  heaped  upon  citizens 
of  the  United  States  who  are  Jews,  Germans,  Irish,  etc.,  and  the  vulgar 
epithets  hurled  at  Colored  citizens  of  the  United  States  on  account  of 
their  color. 

The  time  is  soon  coming,  therefore,  to  ask:  Why  should  we  say, 
“Colored  Americans?”  Let  us  advance  to  the  next  Government  census 
and  forestall  an  episode  to  see  how  it  would  work: 

The  scene  is  supposed  to  be  in  the  year  1920  and  represents  the 
United  States  census  taker  of  that  period  going  his  rounds  and  making 
inquiries.  He  calls  upon  a  well  known  Jewish  citizen,  and  the  following 
conversation  takes  place: 

‘  ‘  Mr.  Solomon  Isaacs,  what  is  your  nationality  ?  ’  ’  Mr.  Isaacs  replies : 
“I  am  an  American  citizen,  I  was  born  in  Chicago  in  the  19th  Ward.” 
The  examining  man  asks:  “Are  you  not  a  Jew?”  Mr.  Isaacs  replies: 
“No,  sir,  I  am  an  American. ”  “ But  your  nose, — ”  “ My  nose  has  noth¬ 
ing  to  do  with  my  nationality.”  This  being  true,  the  Jew  is  allowed 
to  go. 

Calling  next  upon  Mr.  Patrick  McGillicuddy,  he  opens  his  hook: 

“Patrick  McGillicuddy,  what  is  your  nationality?”  Mr.  McGilli¬ 
cuddy  makes  the  same  answers  as  the  Jew.  “But,”  says  the  examiner, 
“Your  long  square  chin  and  protruding  lower  jaw  proclaim  you  an — ” 

“My  chin,  sir,  has  nothing  to  do  with  my  nationality.”  So  the 
Irishman  is  passed. 


69 


60 


THE  COLORED  AMERICANS’  NATIONALITY 


Next  in  succession  come  visits  to  the  Italian,  the  Spaniard,  the 
Japanese,  the  Chinese,  the  Russian,  the  Hindoo,  and  so  on.  All  these 
men  deny  that  they  are  anything  hut  Americans.  The  examiner  points 
out  their  nationality  in  their  features,  but  is  told  that  features,  face, 
complexion,  noses,  chins,  or  hair,  have  nothing  to  do  with  nationality. 
They  were  all  born  in  this  country  and  there  is  nothing  more  to  be  said. 


"I  AM  AN  AMERICAN,  SIR” 

Finally,  the  examiner  brightens  up.  He  has  found  something  that 
can  not  be  disputed.  He  calls  upon  George  Washington  Adams. 
“Ahem,  Mr.  Adams,  what  is  your  nationality?”  Mr.  Adams  responds: 
“ I  am  an  American,  sir. ”  The  examiner  is  puzzled,  but  revives.  “Are 
you  not  a  Negro?”  Mr.  Adams,  having  learned  something  from  the 
Jew,  the  Irishman  and  the  others,  replies:  “No,  sir,  I  am  not  a  Negro, 
I  am  an  American  born  in  the  United  States.” 

“But,  your  color  indicates  that  you  are  a  Neg — .”  “My  color,  sir, 
has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  my  nationality,  no  more,  in  fact,  than 
the  Jew’s  nose,  the  Irishman’s  jaw,  or  the  Spaniard’s  olive  face,  the 
Russian’s  matted  hair,  the  Swede’s  blonde  whiskers,  the  Chinaman’s 
pigtail,  the  Italian’s  earrings,  or  the  Indian’s  scalplock.  According  to 
the  United  States  Constitution  and  all  the  laws  thereunder,  my  color 
has  been  erased  and  I  am  an  American  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the 
same  as  you.” 

After  recovering  from  his  swoon,  the  census  taker  goes  out  to  the 
nearest  saloon,  takes  some  refreshments  and  begins  a  movement  to 
have  the  legislature  enact  a  law,  prohibiting  Colored  Americans  from 
breathing  the  same  atmosphere  as  other  Americans.  But  the  scheme 
fails  because  when  it  comes  to  the  question  of  color,  the  Jews,  Span¬ 
iards,  Italians,  Frenchmen,  Mexicans,  and  so  on,  would  be  affected. 

Of  course  this  appears  ridiculous.  It  is  not  intended  to  be  ridicu¬ 
lous,  however,  but  suggested  in  sober  earnest.  It  is  what  has  been  go¬ 
ing  on  in  this  country  for  several  decades,  and  it  is  time  to  stop  such 
folly. 


THE  COLORED  AMERICANS’  NATIONALITY 


61 


The  main  point  is,  that  the  whole  of  the  United  States  is  the  fair 
field  for  the  exploitation  by  Colored  Americans.  And  there  will  not  be 
the  slightest  obstacle  in  the  way  of  such  exploitation,  if  Colored  Ameri¬ 
cans  drop  the  past  and  look  to  the  future.  It  is  not  supposable  that  ten 
millions  of  people,  who,  in  another  generation  will  number  twenty  mil¬ 
lions,  can  be  extirpated  or  crowded  out  of  the  enjoyment  of  human 
rights  because  of  the  prejudices  of  a  few  persons  who  judg^  from  their 
own  standpoint. 

To  show  how  fast  this  field  is  being  exploited  by  Colored  Americans 
would  require  a  large  volume  of  statistics,  but  the  essentials  may  be 
given  so  that  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  field  is  in  a  fair  way  of  being 
occupied. 

Our  most  valuable  account,  strangely  enough,  comes  from  an  Eng¬ 
lish  source: 

In  1911  a  commission  was  sent  by  the  English  Board  of  Trade  to 
the  United  States  to  investigate  the  cost  of  living  in  American  towns, 
but  the  report  included  important  information  concerning  the  occupa¬ 
tions  of  Colored  Americans  in  cities  of  the  United  States. 

It  appears  from  the  report  that  the  Colored  Americans  in  New 
York  City,  in  spite  of  the  industrial  barriers  that  exist  there,  contain 
within  themselves  most  of  the  elements,  professional,  trading,  and  in¬ 
dustrial,  that  go  to  make  up  the  life  of  other  and  more  normally  situ¬ 
ated  communities. 


BRICKLAYERS  AND  CARPENTERS 

In  Atlanta,  Georgia,  about  three-fourths  of  the  bricklayers  are  Col¬ 
ored  Americans,  but  the  majority  of  the  carpenters  are  white.  Nom¬ 
inally,  the  rate  of  wages  is  the  same  for  both  races.  One  large  em¬ 
ployer  held,  that  Colored  Americans  as  bricklayers  had  a  value  ex¬ 
ceeded  by  no  one,  and  that  in  his  own  case  the  highest  paid  workmen 
were  Colored  Americans. 

In  Baltimore,  it  was  found  that  Colored  Americans  occupy  a  very 
important  position  in  the  working  class  element  of  the  population.  An 
overwhelming  majority  in  the  building  trades  are  Colored  Americans. 


62 


THE  COLORED  AMERICANS’  NATIONALITY 


In  Birmingham,  Alabama,  there  is  a  larger  number  of  Colored 
American  workmen  than  in  any  other  district  in  the  United  States.  The 
building  and  mining  industries  are  the  two  in  which  the  two  races  come 
into  the  most  direct  competition  with  one  another,  yet  in  neither  of 
these  industries  does  a  situation  exist  which  occasions  any  serious  fric¬ 
tion. 

In  Cleveland,  Colored  Americans  were  found  in  the  steel  and  wire 
works,  as  plasterers,  hod  carriers,  teamsters  and  janitors. 

In  Memphis,  in  the  transport  trades  and  also  in  certain  industries, 
such  as  the  making  of  bricks  and  cottonseed  oil,  the  labor  is  almost 
entirely  Colored  American.  They  are  making  their  way  into  the  skilled 
trades,  and  in  some  wood  working  establishments  both  whites  and 
blacks  work  side  by  side  at  skilled  occupations. 

In  New  Orleans,  the  industries  are  of  a  kind  which  employ  mainly 
unskilled  or  semi-skilled  labor,  with  the  result  that  white  men  and  Col¬ 
ored  Americans  are  found  doing  the  same  kind  of  work  and  earning 
the  same  rate  of  wages. 

In  the  Pittsburg  district,  more  than  a  hundred  Colored  Americans 
are  employed  in  business  as  printers,  grocers,  hairdressers,  keepers  of 
restaurants,  caterers,  etc.  Many  are  employed  by  the  municipality  as 
policemen,  firemen,  messengers,  postmen,  and  clerks.  A  large  number 
of  work  people  in  the  building  and  iron  and  steel  trades  are  Colored 
Americans,  some  being  in  highly  skilled  occupations. 

Here  is  the  truth  from  a  foreign  source  that  must  be  considered  fair 
and  unprejudiced.  But  the  home  records  show  a  more  diversified  dis¬ 
tribution  maintaining  a  proportionate  employment  everywhere. 

There  does  not  appear  anywhere  to  be  a  fear  that  the  labor  of  Col¬ 
ored  Americans  will  crowd  out  the  white  labor,  but  there  is  a  lingering 
suspicion  that  it  may  do  so,  although  practically  it  does  not. 

In  consequence  of  this  timidity,  what  are  known  as  “segregation” 
laws  and  ordinances  have  been  passed  in  various  places,  Baltimore  hav¬ 
ing  made  the  most  extensive  effort  to  keep  the  laborers  of  the  two  races 
apart. 


THE  COLORED  AMERICANS’  NATIONALITY 


68 


In  other  cities,  as  Atlanta,  Kansas  City,  Norfolk,  Richmond,  and 
St.  Louis,  efforts  were  made  to  effect  legal  segregation. 

The  result  of  all  these  attempts  to  keep  the  Colored  Americans  out 
of  their  legitimate  field  of  competition  with  other  Americans,  failed 
utterly,  or  caused  such  great  financial  losses  to  White  Americans  with¬ 
out  affecting  Colored  Americans  in  any  way,  or  stopping  their  accumu¬ 
lations  of  property,  that  segregation  may  be  considered  a  dead  issue. 

In  Spokane,  Washington,  it  has  been  decided  judicially,  that  Col¬ 
ored  Americans  can  not  be  excluded  from  buying  property  in  any  par¬ 
ticular  place  in  the  State.  The  same  is  the  judicial  sentiment  in  New 
York  and  elsewhere. 

j 

THE  FIELD  OF  ORGANIZED  LABOR 

In  the  field  of  organized  labor.  Colored  Americans  are  also  making 
great  strides,  the  prejudice  heretofore  existing  having  almost  disap¬ 
peared.  At  New  Orleans,  Mr.  T.  V.  O’Connor,  President  of  the  Inter¬ 
national  Longshoremen’s  Union,  sounded  the  keynote  when  he  declared, 
upon  the  admission  of  Colored  Longshoremen  to  the  Union:  “We  are 
going  to  bring  about  industrial  equality.  If  Colored  Americans  stand 
ready  to  assist  themselves,  they  will  get  the  same  wages  and  working 
conditions  that  the  white  man  enjoys.” 


THE  FOUR  DIVISIONS  of  MANKIND 


The  African  One  of  the 
Purest  Types 


Of  the  four  great  primary  divisions  of  the  human  race,  the  Aryan, 
Mongolian,  Semitic,  and  Hamitic,  there  are  three  that  preserve  their 
racial  type  and  have  been  little  changed  by  inter-mixtures.  These  are 
the  Semitic,  or  Jews;  the  Hamitic,  or  Africans,  and  the  Mongolians,  or 
Chinese. 

The  Aryan  division  spreading  out  from  the  Caucasus  Mountains 
by  way  of  India,  and  thence  westward,  became  split  up  into  a  hundred 
different  races,  with  varying  peculiarities  and  racial  differences,  be¬ 
coming  as  they  are  today  English,  German,  French,  Irish,  Scotch, 
Swedes,  Finns,  Russians,  Hindus,  and  a  hundred  other  varying  races 
that  have  intermingled  until  the  Aryan  designation  as  a  division  of  the 
human  race  is  entirely  lost. 

All  these  split  Aryan  races  have  become  centralized  in  the  United 
States,  where  they  are  continuing  their  intermingling,  and  getting 
farther  away  from  the  Aryan  type. 

On  the  contrary,  the  three  other  divisions,  the  Jews,  the  Africans, 
and  the  Chinese,  have  maintained  during  all  the  ages  since  their  crea¬ 
tion,  their  original  characteristics,  with  only  slight  intermixtures,  so 
slight,  indeed,  that  they  are  barely  noticeable. 

Historically,  the  races  that  make  up  the  Aryan  splits,  are  a  mere 
breath  on  the  surface  of  the  ages  of  time,  when  compared  with  the 
other  three  divisions  of  the  human  race.  Long  before  the  ancestors  of 
many  of  them  composed  the  barbarian  hordes  that  thundered  at  the 
gates  of  the  Roman  capital,  and  finally  effaced  it  from  the  face  of  the 

64 


THE  FOUR  DIVISIONS  OF  MANKIND 


65 


earth,  the  Jew,  the  African,  and  the  Chinaman,  were  in  possession  of 
the  evidences  of  high  civilization,  wise  government,  and  splendid  mon¬ 
uments,  and  cultivated  the  arts  of  peace.  The  Aryan  posterity,  on  the 
other  hand,  were  warlike,  and  became  conquerors  of  the  others,  appro¬ 
priating  their  arts,  and  are  still  digging  among  the  ancient  ruins  of 
splendid  empires,  wondering  what  manner  of  people  could  have  per¬ 
fected  such  noble  works. 

All  the  races  had  many  forward  and  backward  movements,  with 
the  dominance  always  with  the  warlike  Aryan  blood. 

But  today,  in  the  United  States,  the  Hamitic,  the  African,  if  you 
please,  has  found  and  utilized  the  civilizing  arts  of  the  Aryan,  and  is 
moving  upward  toward  the  pinnacle  of  the  same  civilization  which  is 
essentially  modern  and  original,  and  which  retains  the  ancient  civiliza¬ 
tion  of  the  other  three  great  divisions  of  the  human  family,  in  its  mu¬ 
seums  as  objects  of  curiosity  and  admiration.  At  the  same  time  he  is 
maintaining  his  racial  unity. 

MAKING  THE  BURDEN  OF  LIFE  MORE  ENJOYABLE 

There  is  no  going  back,  now,  there  can  be  nothing  but  advance  to¬ 
ward  progress  and  higher  civilization,  that  is,  in  the  more  adequate 
and  efficient  means  of  making  the  burden  of  life  more  enjoyable  and 
easier. 

In  one  thing  only  is  there  doubt  as  to  our  progress,  and  that  is  in 
human  development,  and  racial  perfection.  The  scientists  and  thinkers 
of  the  age  are  impressed  with  the  fact  that  there  is  degeneracy,  or  at 
least,  “recession,”  as  it  is  termed,  which  means  a  going  back  to  some 
unknown  evil  type  that  will  operate  disastrously  upon  civilization, 
morals,  and  general  well-being  of  individuals. 

By  a  remarkable  unanimity  of  opinion,  these  marks  of  recession 
and  degeneracy,  sometimes  called  “delinquency,”  are  limited  to  the 
posterity  of  the  Aryan  type.  Superhuman  efforts  are  making  to  avert 
catastrophe  by  what  is  known  as  “selection,”  that  is,  by  limiting  inter¬ 
marriages  to  those  who  shall  have  been  declared  physically  and  men- 

5—1.  S 


66 


THE  FOUR  DIVISIONS  OF  MANKIND 


tally  capable  of  assuming  the  marriage  state.  But  in  the  opinion  of 
many,  this  will  still  he  a  further  remove  from  the  pure  Aryan  type, 
and  thus  be  always  descending  the  human  scale.  At  any  rate,  there 
can  be  no  reversion  to  an  ancestral  type,  because  the  ancestor  himself 
is  mixed,  and  there  is  no  pure  strain  to  culture  up  to. 

But  with  the  J eAvs  and  Africans,  there  is  no  such  question,  because 
the  type  remains  as  it  was  in  the  beginning,  and  it  is  very  easy  to  make 
a  selection. 


THE  JEWS  HAVE  AGES  OF  LEARNING 

The  Jews  understand  this  matter  and  they  maintain  their  own 
racial  standards  which  are  of  the  highest  and  best.  Now,  it  is  up  to  the 
African,  the  ten  millions  of  them  in  the  United  States,  to  adopt  the 
standards  of  excellence  proper  to  their  dignity,  and  to  their  purity  as 
one  of  the  original  or  primary  divisions  of  mankind. 

The  J ews  have  ages  of  learning  and  wisdom  to  fall  back  upon,  and 
the  African,  although  interrupted  in  his  advance,  by  ages  of  repression, 
nevertheless  has  the  ages  of  high  civilization,  the  reigns  of  the  Queens 
Candace,  the  learning  of  the  Egyptians  from  Ethiopian  magi,  and  the 
startling  wonders  and  marvels  of  buried  cities  and  high  culture  re¬ 
cently  unearthed  in  Africa  as  a  foundation.  These  ought  to  be  an  in¬ 
centive  to  him  to  regain  the  lost  prestige.  He  has  the  opportunity  now, 
and  there  is  no  one  to"  stay  his  march  upward,  on  the  contrary,  there 
are  helping  hands  everywhere,  and  incentives  such  as  no  other  race  in 
the  world  ever  had  or  will  ever  have. 

He  may  look  back  to  his  ancestral  days  with  as  much  pride  as  any 
other  race,  and  he  may  point  to  the  magnificent  ruins  of  the  departed 
glories  of  his  race  to  prove  that  his  origin  is  to  be  found  in  as  high  a 
type  of  civilization  as  any  other  race. 


THE  WORLD'S  CONGRESS  of  RACES 

Great  Importance  of  Colored  Race  in  the 
Tremendous  World  Upward  l^ovement 

One  Thousand  Delegates  from  Fifty 
Different  Races  Proclaim 
Uplift  of  People 


In  considering  the  opportunities  offered  the  Colored  people  of  the 
United  States,  two  things  must  be  constantly  borne  in  mind: 

1.  That  the  advance  of  the  world  and  of  the  nations  toward  har¬ 
monious  action  and  unity  of  motives,  is  purely  of  the  mind  and  soul  and 
not  of  the  material  things  of  life. 

2.  As  to  the  world’s  progress  the  Colored  Americans  of  the  United 
States  occupy  a  prominent  position  in  the  vanguard  with  the  other  di¬ 
visions  of  the  human  race,  all  of  whom  are  moving  in  the  same  direction 
toward  carrying  out  the  Divine  plan  of  bringing  all  nations  into  one 
fold. 

On  July  26,  1912,  there  opened  in  the  City  of  London,  England,  a 
great  congress  of  the  races  of  the  world  including  all  the  dark  races 
or  their  representatives.  In  fact,  fifty  different  races  were  represented 
by  their  leading  men,  consisting  of  over  thirty  presidents  of  parlia¬ 
ments,  the  members  of  the  permanent  court  of  arbitration  and  of  the 
delegates  to  the  Second  Hague  Conference,  twelve  British  governors 
and  eight  British  premiers,  over  forty  colonial  Bishops,  a  hundred  and 
thirty  professors  of  international  law,  the  leading  students  of  mankind, 
and  other  scientific  men  of  the  world. 

When  Lord  Weardale,  at  the  head  of  the  World’s  Peace  movement, 
opened  the  first  session  of  this  congress,  he  looked  into  the  faces  of  a 
thousand  people  representing  fifty  different  races  of  men. 

67 


68 


THE  WOELD’S  CONGRESS  OF  RACES 


Lord  Weardale  said  among  other  things:  “To  those  who  regard 
the  furtherance  of  international  good  will  and  peace  as  the  highest  of 
all  human  interests,  this  First  Universal  Races  Congress  opens  a  vista 
of  almost  boundless  promise. 

“Nearer  and  nearer  we  see  approaching  the  day  when  the  caste 
population  of  the  East  will  assert  their  claim  to  meet  on  terms  of  equal¬ 
ity  the  nations  of  the  West;  when  the  free  institutions  and  the  organ¬ 
ized  forces  of  the  one  hemisphere  will  have  their  counterbalance  in  the 
other;  when  their  mental  outlook  and  their  social  aims  will  be  in  prin¬ 
ciple  identical;  when  in  short  the  color  prejudice  will  have  vanished 
and  the  so-called  “white  races”  and  the  so-called  “colored  races”  shall 
no  longer  meet  in  missionary  exposition,  but,  in  very  fact,  regard  one 
another  as  in  truth  men  and  brothers.” 

Dr.  Felix  von  Luschan,  of  Germany,  declared,  ‘  ‘  There  is  an  increas¬ 
ing  mutual  sympathy  between  the  races  as  they  come  to  know  each 
other.” 

Mr.  Gustave  Spiller,  the  organizer  of  the  congress,  said: 

“The  common  standard  provided  by  university  diplomas  shows 
almost  all  races,  even  the  majority  of  those  which  are  regarded  as  in¬ 
ferior,  represented  successfully  in  the  universities  of  Europe  and  Amer¬ 
ica,  and  that  they  are  equal  in  intellectual  capacity  with  the  others. 
Hence  the  ditference  between  them  are  mere  physical  characteristics.” 

Professor  Robertson,  of  England,  among  other  things  established 
this  comforting  assurance: 

“It  is  only  after  a  long  and  painful  apprenticeship  that  European 
nations  have  attained  autonomy.  Why  not  admit  that  it  may  be  the 
same  with  the  so-called  backward  peoples'?” 

THE  POSSIBILITY  OF  PROGRESS 

The  possibility  of  progress  with  regard  to  the  Colored  Americans 
is  emphasized  by  Professor  Charles  S.  Myers  of  England,  who  gives  the 
results  of  his  personal  observations  in  other  nations. 


THE  WORLD’S  CONGRESS  OF  RACES 


69 


Even  viewing  our  Colored  Americans  as  a  primitive  people  with 
only  two  generations  of  removals  from  the  primitive  state,  Professor 
Myers  says: 

“The  possibility  of  the  progressive  development  of  all  primitive 
peoples  must  be  conceded,  if  only  the  environment  can  be  appropriately 
changed.  ’  ’ 

It  is  in  evidence  every  day,  that  the  “changed  environments”  of 
the  Colored  race  in  the  United  States,  has  forwarded  their  progressive 
development  to  an  enormous  degree. 

BLACK  MEN  ORIGINATE  EGYPTIAN  CIVILIZATION 

In  line  with  the  opinion  of  Herodotus  and  the  German  ethnologists, 
that  the  Black  Men  of  Africa  were  the  first  race,  and  the  originators  of 
the  Egyptian  and  Cretan  civilization.  Professor  Lionel  W.  Lyde,  of 
England,  announces: 

“We  are  in  a  position  to  say  that  primitive  man  was  dark  skinned, 
and  that  he,  as  he  made  his  way  northward,  began  to  bleach,  thus  cre¬ 
ating  a  semi-primitive  yellow  type.  This  yellow  man  exposed  to  condi¬ 
tions  of  cold  and  moisture,  might  become  entirely  white.  The  human 
skin  develops  pigments  to  protect  itself  against  a  strong  sun,  and  the 
quantity  of  pigment  in  the  skin  varies  with  the  intensity  of  the  sun. 

“It  is  therefore  the  men  who  live  in  the  hottest  and  least  shaded 
parts  of  the  world — that  is  to  say,  in  the  African,  that  we  find  the  black¬ 
est  skin.  The  white  peoples,  on  the  contrary,  are  confined  to  a  region 
where  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  forms  a  screen  against  the  rays 
of  the  sun.  Finally,  between  the  Negro  and  the  White,  is  the  Yellow 
man,  who  is  a  product  of  dessicating  grasslands  with  seasonal  extremes 
of  temperature.” 


PIGMENT  OF  COLOR  TO  GUARD  THE  SKIN 

The  racial  color,  it  will  be  understood,  is  merely  a  matter  of  skin 
coloring.  Nature  provides  pigments  of  color  to  guard  the  skin  against 
the  inclemencies  of  sun  and  weather.  Every  modern  man  knows  and 


70 


THE  WORLD’S  CONGRESS  OF  RACES 


has  experienced  the  result  of  strong  sun  and  wind  in  his  own  skin. 
“Tan”  it  is  called,  and  sometimes,  within  a  few  weeks  the  color  of  a 
white  man’s  skin  is  transformed  into  a  yellow  or  a  dark  brown.  If  the 
exposure  continues,  the  color  remains. 

In  the  opinion  of  noted  scientists,  it  is  certain  that  the  difference 
between  the  races  as  to  color  is  merely  skin  deep.  Their  psychological 
conditions  are  equal,  as  we  shall  see  when  we  reach  that  point. 

Professor  Felix  Adler,  the  eminent  scientist,  speaking  with  author¬ 
ity,  upholds  the  idea  that  the  relations  between  the  races  can  be  only 
psychological  and  not  physical.  He  said  at  the  great  Congress  of 
Races: 

“It  is  urgently  necessary  for  ns  to  have  a  clearer  conception  of  the 
ideal  to  be  realized  in  international  relations.  What  principle  shall  we 
put  in  the  place  of  war,  brute  force,  etc? 

“The  appeal  to  sentiment  and  the  progress  of  democracy,  are  not 
in  themselves  a  safeguard  against  war.  It  is  not  peace  itself  that  we 
must  keep  in  view,  but  the  object  to  be  secured  by  peace.  The  ideal 
principle  of  international  relations  consists  in  the  progressive  organiza¬ 
tion  of  these  relations  between  peoples  and  races.  This  organiza¬ 
tion  involves  two  postulates: 

“First.  To  attain  the  most  extreme  differentiation  of  types  of  cul¬ 
ture,  the  maximum  of  variety  and  richness  in  the  expression  of  human 
faculties.  The  peace  and  progress  of  the  world  will  depend  on  the  for¬ 
mation  of  a  cultivated  class  of  all  civilized  peoples. 

“Second.  This  exchange  between  different  types  of  culture  will 
serve  to  bring  to  light  the  weak  points  in  each,  and  lead  to  their  im¬ 
provement  and  healing.” 

Sir  Charles  Bruce,  the  noted  administrator  of  government  attempts, 
in  various  localities  where  the  different  races  confront  one  another, 
to  give  as  his  deliberate  opinion,  based  upon  experience  and  close  study, 
this  succinct  truism: 

“The  blacks  have  long  been  the  instruments  of  the  cupidity,  cru¬ 
elty  and  luxury  of  the  whites;  but  their  intelligence,  deliberately  neg¬ 
lected  for  ages,  needs  only  to  be  awakened.  ’  ’ 


THE  WORLD’S  CONGRESS  OF  RACES 


71 


Sir  Harry  Johnston,  of  England,  said: 

The  Negro  race  has  produced  men  of  great  ability  in  all  depart¬ 
ments.” 

Dr.  W.  E.  B.  Du  Bois,  learned  editor  of  the  Crisis,  appeared  before 
the  Congress  as  a  Colored  American  scientist,  versed  in  ethnology,  and 
the  needs  and  qualifications  of  the  Colored  race.  After  giving  the  num¬ 
ber  of  Colored  Americans  as  about  ten  millions,  and  mentioning  the 
fact  that  “They  live  at  the  present  time  under  a  system  of  theoretical 
liberty,  which  is  restricted  in  practice  by  certain  legal  dispositions,  and 
by  custom,”  he  adds:  “Intellectual  emancipation  should  proceed  hand 
in  hand  with  economic  independence.” 


ALL  NATIONS  AND  TRIBES  ONE  GREAT  FAMILY 

This  is  indeed  the  keynote  to  the  elevation  of  the  Colored  Ameri¬ 
cans  to  the  high  plane  sought  to  be  reached  by  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  and  toward  which  they  are  surely  drifting,  in  an  unconscious  ful¬ 
fillment  of  the  designs  of  God  to  gather  all  nations  and  tribes  together 
into  one  great  family. 

Professor  N.  R.  d ’Alfonso,  of  Italy,  laid  before  the  Congress  the 
most  profound  thought  that  forms  the  basis  of  all  progress  and  gives 
the  key  to  beneficial  government: 

“Speculative  psychology  teaches  that  the  man,  to  whatever  race 
he  may  belong,  has  always  the  same  psychological  possibilities. 

Subject  from  childhood  to  certain  conditions  of  climate,  environ¬ 
ment  and  education,  he  can  reach  the  highest  and  most  complex  grades 
of  civilization. 

“It  is  the  action  and  reaction  of  the  external  world  on  the  internal 
world  of  the  mind  that  issues  in  the  creation  of  man. 

“If  there  are  psychological  differences  between  races  they  are  the 
outcome  of  the  particular  history  of  various  peoples— a  history  that  has 
entailed  a  different  education. 


72 


THE  WOBLD’S  CONGBESS  OF  BACES 


“The  psychological  basis  is  the  same  in  all  men  from  whatever 
part  of  the  world  they  may  come,  and  they  may  evolve  in  the  same  way 
and  attain  the  same  psychic  results. 

“In  the  same  way  racial  hostilities  and  prejudices  are  not  due  to 
organic  heredity,  but  to  tradition  and  education.” 

So  far  as  science  has  gone,  it  must  be  apparent  that  the  learned 
men  of  the  age  have  returned  to  the  Biblical  account:  Genesis,  1:26. 

“26.  And  God  said,  ‘Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  like¬ 
ness:  and  let  him  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the 
fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  over  all  the  earth,  and  over 
every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth.’ 

‘  ‘  27.  So  God  created  man  in  His  own  image,  in  the  image  of  God 
created  He  him;  male  and  female  created  He  them.” 

Again  in  Genesis  2:7,  it  is  said: 

“7.  And  the  Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground,  and 
breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life ;  And  man  became  a  living 
soul.” 

Everywhere  in  Holy  Writ,  human  beings  are  always  referred  to  as 
“Man”  whenever  he  is  considered  as  a  being  vested  with  a  soul,  a  par¬ 
ticular  psychological  condition  that  makes  him  different  from  all  other 
creations. 

In  every  movement  toward  human  betterment,  education,  civiliza¬ 
tion,  development,  and  especially  in  the  onward  movement  toward  uni¬ 
fication,  the  human  species  is  referred  to  as  “Man”  without  any  racial 
distinctions  whatever. 

WARS  BETWEEN  JEWS  AND  ETHIOPIANS 

It  is  only  when  men  are  opposed  to  one  another;  when  they  depart 
from  the  Divine  intention  to  unify  all  men,  that  man  is  designated  ac¬ 
cording  to  his  racial  or  national  designation.  For  instance :  The  wars 
between  the  Jews  and  the  Ethiopians  three  thousand  years  before 
Christ;  the  wars  of  the  Bomans,  Persians,  Assyrians,  English,  French, 
and  all  other  divergent  upheavals  which  depart  from  the  Divine  De- 


THE  WORLD’S  CONGRESS  OF  RACES 


73 


sign.  In  such  cases  the  psychological  man,  the  man  with  a  soul,  the 
man  into  whom  God  breathed  the  breath  of  life,  is  considered  a  differ¬ 
ent  being  and  he  is  unified  as  “Man.” 

Not  only  is  this  distinctive  unity  of  soul,  of  mind,  of  intelligence, 
the  predominating  feature  of  the  creation,  known  as  “man,”  but  his 
physical  characteristics  outside  the  mere  skin  deep  differences,  are  ex¬ 
actly  the  same. 

Modern  scientists,  known  as  “biologists,”  that  is,  men  who  inves¬ 
tigate  the  origin  of  physical  life  in  men,  have  advanced  so  far  that  they 
know  and  can  easily  demonstrate  that  there  are  no  physical  differences. 

The  infinitely  small  cells  called  “protoplasms,”  which  make  up  the 
tissues  of  the  human  body,  and  which  are  present  everywhere,  plainly 
visible  to  the  eye  under  a  microscope,  are  exactly  the  same  in  every  hu¬ 
man  being  whatever  his  race  or  color,  condition,  education,  environ¬ 
ment,  etc. 

All  the  machinery  upon  which  these  small  cells  of  life  operate  and 
give  action,  energy,  and  duration — the  heart,  the  nerves,  the  blood,  and 
all  the  organs  essential  or  co-operative,  are  identically  the  same. 

Men  have  tried  to  find  a  difference  in  the  physical  make-up  of  the 
various  races  but  they  have  signally  failed.  They  have  even  endeav¬ 
ored  to  compare  the  blood  and  cells  of  inferior  animals  such  as  apes, 
going  so  low  as  the  common  monkey,  to  show  that  some  of  the  races 
originated  in  what  is  known  as  the  “Anthropoid  Ape,”  so  as  to  bolster 
up  the  doctrine  of  evolution  and  maintain  the  existence  of  an  exclu¬ 
sively,  special  God  created  race  of  men,  of  which  they  are  the  sole  and 
exclusive  exponents,  but  they,  also,  have  signally  failed,  and  all  men 
today,  proven  by  science  demonstrating  the  truths  of  Holy  Writ,  stand 
upon  the  same  psychological,  or  soul  plane,  whether  his  skin  be  black, 
yellow,  brown,  red,  white  or  any  other  color  or  shade  of  color.  They 
are  all  part  and  parcel  of  the  Divine  movement  which  is  impelling  man 
toward  a  nniversal  psychological  unity.  Any  man  or  nation  that  at¬ 
tempts  to  bar  the  way,  is  submerged  or  cast  aside  like  a  straw  before 
an  avalanche.  This  is  written  upon  the  pages  of  history  so  clearly,  that 
it  is  beyond  controversy. 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT 
RACES  OF  MANKIND 

Marvelous  Rise  of  the  Japanese  from  Barbarism  in  Five 
Decades — The  Jews  without  a  National  Government 
Rule  the  Finances  and  Commerce  of  the  World — 
China  in  Contact  with  Civilization  Has  Created  a 
Great  Republic — The  American  Indian  Raised  From 
Savagery  to  Peaceful,  Profitable  Pursuits  —  The 
Colored  American’s  Part  and  Opportunities  in  the 
Great  Onward  Movement 


A  reader  of  history  who  does  not  go  deeper  than  the  mere  words  in 
books,  sees  nothing  but  confusion  in  the  steady,  onward  march  of  all 
mankind  from  the  dawn  of  creation  to  the  present  time. 

We  hope  to  bring  something  easily  understood  out  of  this  chaos, 
that  will  be  of  benefit  to  the  Colored  Americans,  and  put  them  in  line 
with  the  great  movement  of  the  human  family  toward  universal  peace 
and  prosperity.  We  expect  to  show  that  he  is  an  essential  factor  in  the 
human  race,  and  that  he  has  performed  his  part  when  his  ancestors,  the 
powerful  kings  of  Ethiopia,  brought  civilization  and  the  art  of  working 
metals  into  Egypt,  as  far  as  Asia,  and  into  Europe. 

The  most  learned  ethnologists  hold  that  there  was  a  time  in  the 
history  of  the  human  race  when  all  mankind  were  unified,  and  that 
through  different  causes  operating  upon  passion  for  power,  religious 
ditferences  and  climatic  necessities,  they  became  separated  and  split 
into  divisions  each  of  which  claimed  supremacy,  and  made  war  upon 
the  others  who  denied  it. 

Wherever  we  begin  the  national  history  of  any  nation  or  tribe,  we 

74 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  RACES 


75 


find  them  separate  from  every  other  nation  and  tribe,  individual  en¬ 
tities  with  their  own  laws  and  government. 

If  we  take  any  fanciful  theory  of  the  creation  of  man,  or  accept  the 
biblical  account  of  the  Dispersion  at  the  plain  of  Sliinar,  at  the  build¬ 
ing  of  the  Tower  of  Babel,  2218  years  before  Christ,  we  find  them  scat¬ 
tered  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  whereas  before  that  Dispersion  “The 
whole  earth  was  one  language  and  of  one  speech.”  (Genesis  2:1). 
After  that  event  “The  Lord  scattered  them  abroad  upon  the  face  of  all 
the  earth.” 

The  races  of  mankind  began  in  unity,  but  separated  and  scattered 
becoming  a  multitude  of  nations  with  different  languages  and  religions. 
But,  at  the  same  time,  visible  as  a  fine  thread  through  the  movements 
of  mankind,  was  a  trend  toward  another  unification. 

THE  RISE  OF  THE  ROMAN  EMPIRE 

Nations  rose  and  fell,  leaving  the  earth  to  a  few  powerful  ones  who 
attacked  one  another  until,  finally,  the  vast  and  powerful  Roman  Em¬ 
pire  rose  upon  the  ruins  of  the  others.  The  central  point  of  unification 
was  nearer,  and  it  appeared  when  Christ  was  born,  the  Saviour  of  all 
the  world. 

From  that  time  began  a  movement  toward  another  unification,  but 
not  a  national  movement,  a  human  movement,  an  uplift  into  higher  aims 
and  more  complete  brotherhood. 

The  conquest  of  Rome  by  barbarians  did  not  stay  this  movement, 
because  the  barbarians  fell  in  with  it  and  moved  along  with  it.  Every 
great  act  on  the  chessboard  of  nations,  whether  war,  or  the  present 
peace  movement  toward  universal  peace,  demonstrates  that  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  the  entire  human  family,  as  a  unit,  will  be  fulfilled  sometime. 
It  is  rapidly  reaching  that  point. 

The  great  nations  that  stood  in  the  way  of  this  onward  movement 
toward  unification,  have  been  abolished  politically,  but  not  individu¬ 
ally,  the  individuals  becoming  merged,  unified  into  the  great  moving 
mass,  and  progressing  onward  with  it  to  the  end  in  view. 


76 


PEOGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  RACES 


Of  these  unified  nations  or  rather  peoples  of  nations  who  have  no 
more  political  power  or  significance,  we  find  the  following : 

The  Jews,  the  Semitic  division  of  the  human  race. 

The  Colored  Men,  the  Hamitic  division  of  the  human  family. 

The  American  Indians,  Aborigines  with  tribal  government. 

We  shall  add  to  these,  by  way  of  illustration  to  demonstrate  the 
power  of  civilization,  the  following; 

The  Japanese,  an  offshoot  of  the  Turanian. 

The  Chinese,  pure  Turanian. 

The  two  latter  races  are  foreign  to  our  unification  in  the  United 
States,  many  of  their  people,  however,  have  inserted  the  thin  edge  of  a 
wedge  into  our  civilization  and  time  alone  will  tell  what  the  upshot 
will  be. 

We  have  in  the  United  States  a  most  remarkable  unification,  or 
merger  into  one  political  status,  of  the  descendants  of  three  great  divi¬ 
sions  of  the  Human  Family,  who  are  living  together  substantially  in 
peace  and  amity.  Whatever  differences  and  difficulties  arise  are  purely 
personal. 

Of  the  Colored  Americans  in  the  United  States,  this  book  refers 
almost  exclusively;  in  fact,  it  is  dedicated  to  them  and  their  interests, 
and  intended  for  their  benefit.  Hence,  we  may  omit  them  in  this  chap¬ 
ter,  there  being  a  full  account  of  them  elsewhere. 

A  short  sketch  of  the  Jews  may  be  considered  as  pertinent  to  the 
subject  and  as  having  a  bearing  upon  the  status  of  the  Colored  men. 

THE  JEWS 

The  Jews  considered  from  the  biblical  accounts  exclusively,  are 
the  descendants  and  representatives  of  the  oldest  branch  of  the  human 
family,  but  they  existed  as  a  nation  contemporaneously  with  the  Ethi¬ 
opians,  in  whose  descendants  we  find  the  Colored  men  of  the  United 
States. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  unification  of  the  Semitic  or  Jewish  race 
began  with  Moses,  although  Noah  was  in  fact  the  father  of  the  race. 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  RACES 


77 


Their  history  is  one  of  the  wildest,  most  varied  and  romantic  of  that 
of  any  other  race  or  nation. 

After  centuries  of  miserable  bondage  under  the  Babylonian  kings, 
and  in  Egypt,  they  emerged  under  the  leadership  of  Moses  who  married 
an  Ethiopian,  and  began  anew  the  struggle  for  national  autonomy. 

Prior  to  Moses  the  government  was  essentially  patriarchal,  but 
after  Moses  and  in  the  course  of  time  it  became  monarchical,  with 
various  petty  kings  and  offshoots,  always  quarreling  with  one  another, 
and  meeting  with  defeats  and  slavery  from  other  nations,  until  the 
Romans  had  acquired  power  to  conquer  the  world,  and  included  in 
their  conquered  territory  the  various  sovereignties  established  by  the 
Jews. 

Although  the  political  power  was  taken  from  them,  the  Jews  were 
allowed  to  retain  their  religious  authority,  but  in  process  of  time,  and 
at  the  coming  of  Christ,  their  chief  priests  and  spiritual  rulers  gener¬ 
ally,  were  sunk  in  corruption.  In  the  70th  year  of  the  Christian  era, 
Jerusalem  and  the  great  temple  of  Solomon  were  utterly  destroyed,  and 
from  that  time  until  quite  recent  times,  the  Jews  have  been  wanderers, 
obtaining  a  foothold  here  and  there  against  fearful  opposition  and 
amazing  suffering. 


ADVANCEMENT  OF  THE  JEWS 

Bereft  of  political  power  and  national  autonomy,  the  Jews  ad¬ 
vanced  along  the  line  of  racial  unification,  and  became  leaders  in  the 
arts  and  sciences,  and  have  made  themselves  the  financial  and  commer¬ 
cial  masters  of  the  world.  A  power  they  never  could  have  reached  had 
they  maintained  their  national  distinction  under  a  monarchy  or  other 
form  of  government. 

Their  position  in  the  United  States  is  exactly  that  of  the  Colored 
Americans.  They  have  all  the  political  rights  of  freemen,  and  can  rise 
to  positions  of  high  trust  and  honor.  Like  their  Colored  brothers,  they 
are  not  a  race  within  a  race. 


78 


PKOGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  RACES 


THE  JEWS  THIRST  FOR  KNOWLEDGE 

They  are  all  intensely  interested  in  education,  and  their  children 
possess  an  insatiable  thirst  for  knowledge.  As  a  consequence  they  are 
always  ready  to  seize  upon  opportunity  when  it  comes  their  way,  and 
they  always  profit  by  experience,  and  gather  information  from  every 
source. 

Many  of  the  most  distinguished  scientists  and  statesmen  in  the 
world  have  been  Jews,  and  although  able  to  dictate  financially  to  gov¬ 
ernments,  and  possessing  political  power,  they  have  never  yet  at¬ 
tempted  to  seize  upon  the  reins  of  any  government,  or  take  it  out  of  the 
hands  of  those  selected  to  govern. 

If  a  Jew  were  to  become  President  of  the  United  States,  and  all 
the  offices  filled  by  Jews,  the  government  would  run  along  the  lines 
upon  which  it  was  formed,  without  a  change  or  jar,  and  at  the  expira¬ 
tion  of  their  term  of  office,  or  a  change  in  political  power,  they  would 
lay  down  their  trust  and  return  to  their  individual  avocations  without 
a  single  regret. 

This  is  a  unification  such  as  the  world  has  never  before  dreamed 
of.  And  it  is  the  same  unification  with  regard  to  the  Colored  Ameri¬ 
cans.  The  situation  is  the  same,  the  conditions  identical  with  the  single 
exception  that  the  Jews  are  farther  advanced  than  the  Colored  man, 
his  experience  extending  over  a  larger  period  of  time,  but  the  Colored 
men  are  improving  and  soon  they  should  be  where  the  same  sort  of 
unification  can  be  said  of  them. 

THE  AMERICAN  INDIAN 

The  American  Indian  has  no  ancestry  of  civilization  to  look  back 
to.  His  forebears  so  far  as  is  known  to  history  were  savages,  and  the 
Indians  found  in  America  by  the  first  white  settlers  were  also  savages. 

Their  origin  as  a  race  is  shrouded  in  obscurity,  some  asserting  that 
they  are  descendants  of  the  Semitic  race  of  Asia,  others  that  they  are 
Turanian  and  Malaysian  mixed.  It  is  -certain,  how;ever,  that  nothing 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  RACES 


79 


remains  of  any  very  ancient  civilization,  what  does  exist  consists  of 
“mounds”  containing  crude  articles  of  pottery,  flint  arrows,  etc.,  and 
in  the  case  of  the  descendants  of  the  cliff  dwellers  in  New  Mexico  and 
Arizona,  their  habitations  remain,  showing  that  their  surroundings 
were  crude  and  their  civilization  at  a  low  ebb. 

The  descendants  of  the  Aztecs,  Toltecs  and  other  tribes  whose  an¬ 
cestors  were  ruthlessly  slaughtered  by  Cortez  and  his  Spanish  soldiers, 
and  oppressed  by  his  successors,  had  small  title  to  what  is  known  as 
civilization.  Of  these  little  can  be  said  except  that  the  present  descend¬ 
ants  present  the  vestiges  of  degeneracy,  and  have  no  marks  of  being  a 
pure  race  of  any  sort.  They  are  just  the  same  as  they  were  when  first 
discovered,  barring  vices  which  they  have  acquired  from  the  civilized 
races  without  receiving  any  benefit  from  their  virtues. 

These  people  present  no  example  worth  being  followed,  but  as  to 
the  descendants  of  the  real  savage  American  Indian,  the  Sioux,  Algon- 
quins,  and  other  large  and  savage  warrior  tribes  encountered  by  the 
American  pioneer  and  frontiersmen,  they  show  the  power  of  civilization 
and  their  adaptability  to  changed  environment. 

Among  them  were  many  noble  men,  men  of  high  aspirations  and 
aims,  who  as  soon  as  they  understood  civilization,  broke  away  from  the 
trammels  of  savagery  and  became  civilized.  That  is,  they  adopted  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  civilized  races,  and  became  unified  with 
them. 


RESULTS  OF  EDUCATION 

Among  them,  education  has  produced  a  large  number  of  men  of 
high  grade,  and  influence.  Most  of  them  have  turned  to  agriculture, 
but  being  a  race  that  is  still  in  embryo,  so  to  speak,  that  is  one  of  the 
present  era,  the  time  has  not  yet  arrived  when  it  can  be  predicted  of 
them  that  they  are  equal  to  coming  up  to  the  highest  rank  in  civilized 
life. 

They  are  an  open,  living  illustration  of  the  power  of  education  and 
modern  civilization.  The  lesson  to  be  learned  from  them  is,  that  what 
a  race  so  sunk  in  savagery  and  barbarism  can  do,  is  much  more  within 


80 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  RACES 


the  reach  of  the  Colored  Americans  who  have  a  great  and  noble  ances¬ 
try  hack  to  which  they  may  look  with  admiration  and  feel  an  incentive 
to  continue  to  advance — it  is  in  them. 

THE  JAPANESE  AS  AN  ILLUSTRATION 

We  come  to  the  Japanese  as  an  illustration  of  unification  of  the 
races,  because  they  have  put  themselves  before  the  world  as  entitled  to 
consideration  as  much  as  any  other  race.  Inasmuch  as  they  are  rapidly 
becoming’  a  world  power,  and  have  the  warships  and  guns  to  back  up 
their  pretensions,  the  nations  of  the  earth  feel  justified  in  considering 
their  claims. 

Whence  they  come  nobody  knows,  not  even  their  own  learned  men. 
They  originated  somewhere  in  the  past,  but  not  ancient  past,  or  they 
would  have  been  heard  of,  but  may  be  a  cross  among  the  Turanian 
tribes.  They  are  small  men  and  dark,  which  lends  truth  to  this  theory. 

With  their  origin  we  have  nothing  to  do,  because  their  rise  and 
progress  is  something  men  now  living  have  witnessed  and  stand 
amazed  at  its  suddenness  and  at  the  height  to  which  these  small  men 
have  attained. 

They  are  a  brilliant  example  of  what  education  and  civilization 
backed  by  intense  persistence  and  energy  will  accomplish  in  taking 
advantage  of  opportunity. 

They  were  given  an  opportunity  to  enter  the  ranks  of  civilization, 
but  they  refused  the  offer.  Then,  trade  and  commerce  urged  and  then 
forced  it  upon  them,  and  seeing  that  they  had  to  progress,  they  took 
hold  of  opportunities,  and  now,  never  let  the  smallest  opportunity  pass 
by  them.  When  an  opportunity  does  not  present  itself  they  go  to  meet 
it  or  make  one  to  suit  themselves.  They  are  giving  the  world  a  bad 
scare  by  their  persistence  and  clamors  for  equality  with  every  other 
nation  and  peoples,  due,  perhaps,  to  their  newness  as  a  nation  and  the 
probability  that  they  may  relapse  into  barbarism  should  they  get  the 
upperhand  with  restraint  removed. 

Every  man  who  has  not  had  a  very  good  or  saintly  past,  is  re- 


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PROFESSION  OF  DENTAL  SURGERY 

Students  practicing  in  the  Dental  Infirmary,  prior  to  taking  their  degree.  Howard  University, 

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AN  ARTISTIC  AND  USEFUL  VOCATION 


Dressmaking  in  the  Spellman  Seminary,  Atlanta,  Georgia.  The  young  women  are  fast 

becoming  experts  in  their  work. 


FUTURE  HOME  MAKERS 


A  MODERN  SANITARY  DAIRY 


MODERN  SURGERY 

Warfield,  Negro  surgeon,  operating.  Freedmen’s  Hospital,  Washington, 


OPERATING  ROOM— LATEST  EQUIPMENT 

Douglass  Hospital  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


NURSING  THE  LITTLE  ONES  BACK  TO  HEALTH 
Children’s  Ward  L.,  Frederick  Doug^lass  IMemorial  Hospital  and  Training  School,  Philadelphia. 
“Suffer  Little  Children  to  Come  Unto  i\Ie,  for  Such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.” 


MINISTERING  TO  THE  SICK 

Private  ward  with  trained  nurse  in  attendance.  Frederick  Douglass  Memorial  Hospital  and 

Training  School,  Philadelphia,  Pa, 


STUDENTS  IN  THE  ART  OF  HEALING 

A  class  of  trained  nurses  preparing  for  tlieir  life’s  work.  Tuskegee  Institute, 


►-1  .ti 

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PEOGRESS  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  RACES 


81 


garded  with  suspicion  when  he  joins  the  ranks  of  the  good  and  pious. 
It  is  not  credited  that  such  a  man  can  become  good  all  at  once,  and  the 
belief  spreads  that  his  reform  is  a  mere  makeshift,  a  delusion,  and  an 
opportunity  for  gain. 

The  Japanese  have  not  been  tested  by  any  of  the  conditions  that 
have  made  the  civilized  races  what  they  are  as  to  reliability  after 
centuries  of  experience,  and  the  only  thing  to  be  observed  is,  that  they 
were  found  first  as  a  barbaric  tribe,  or  semibarbaric,  with  the  most 
hideous  manners  and  customs,  and  a  religion  that  was  mere  idol  wor¬ 
ship. 

If  the  first  American  admiral  who  forced  western  civilization  upon 
them  through  trade  and  commerce  could  see  them  now  at  the  bargain 
counter  of  opportunities,  he  would  be  amazed. 

Their  arts  and  sciences  are  marvels  of  beauty;  their  home  life  when 
they  are  not  fighting  is  amid  a  bower  of  roses,  and  they  can  imitate 
anything  as  to  mechanical  workmanship  from  a  toy  dog  to  a  compli¬ 
cated  man-of-war.  They  make  everything  the  civilized  men  make,  and 
sell  them  for  a  pittance.  They  know  what  they  want  and  they  get  it  or 
declare  war. 

Never  did  such  a  race  of  men  exist  since  history  began,  and  it  has 
sprung  up  into  prominence  within  about  half  a  century,  without  be¬ 
ing  deep  or  profound,  and  having  a  character  that  is  so  dubious  that 
one  never  knows  whether  he  is  your  friend  or  enemy. 

While  studying  this  race  of  small  men,  one  is  almost  tempted  to 
urge  every  man  behind  in  this  world’s  favors,  to  do  as  the  Japanese. 
It  is  indeed  an  incentive  to  wake  up  and  go  ahead. 

THE  CHINESE 

The  Chinese  are  as  near  the  pure  Turanian  stock  as  it  is  possible 
for  a  race  with  their  environments  to  be. 

The  samples  that  come  to  the  United  States  for  employment  are 
coolies,  mongrels  of  the  race,  just  as  we  have  natural  born  mongrels 
from  intermixtures  with  degeneracy. 

But  the  real  Chinaman,  the  Manchurian,  and  his  similars  among  the 

6—1,  S 


82 


PEOGEESS  OF  THE  DIFFEEENT  EACES 


pure  Turanian  strain,  are  magnificent  men  physically,  without  the  slant 
eye,  and  highly  educated  in  the  Chinese  fashion. 

Like  the  other  grand  divisions  of  the  human  race,  they  lived  along 
for  ages  in  peace  and  comfort,  until  the  outside  barbarian  in  the  form 
of  the  little  Japanese  came  along  and  shattered  his  dreams  of  content. 
As  Alaric  and  his  Huns  battered  down  the  gates  of  Eome;  as  the  Eo- 
mans  put  an  end  to  the  Jewish  nation;  as  the  combined  attacks  of  the 
gold  hungered  kings  of  Europe  and  Asia  subdued  and  obliterated  the 
vast  Ethiopian  empire,  so  little  Japan  routed  the  big  Chinese  empire. 

But  this  accomplished  something  that  emphasizes  the  idea  of  a  uni¬ 
versal  unification  of  the  nations  of  the  world.  Japan  forced  open  China 
and  its  people  saw  the  opportunity,  and  took  it.  After  studying  the 
methods  of  civilization,  particularly  those  in  vogue  in  this  great  repub¬ 
lic,  its  students  returned  to  their  native  land,  and  aroused  the  half  a 
billion  people  from  the  slumbers  and  behold!  A  vast  republic.  The 
Chinese  are  in  line  with  modern  education,  with  the  arts  of  civilization. 
Like  the  Japanese,  they  have  begun  to  wear  American  clothing.  With¬ 
al,  they  have  abandoned  their  old  pagan  practices,  killed  their  dragon, 
and  are  rapidly  coming  in  under  the  remorseless  movement  toward  the 
unification  of  the  world. 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GREAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


THE  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  BIBLE  AND  ALSO  RECENT  DISCOVERIES  IN 
AFRICA  PROVE  THE  ANCIENT  AND  POWERFUL  CIVILIZATION  OF 
THE  COLORED  RACE  3,000  YEARS  B.  C— THE  STORY  OF  CANDACE, 
THE  BEAUTIFUL  BLACK  QUEEN  OF  ETHIOPIA,  AND  THE  MAR¬ 
RIAGE  OF  MOSES  TO  AN  ETHIOPIAN  WOMAN  1490  B.  C.  — HOW 
PIANKHI,  THE  BLACK  KING,  CONQUERED  EGYPT  750  B.  C.,  AND 
HOW  EGYPT  TOOK  HER  CIVILIZATION  FROM  ETHIOPIA. 


We  read  about  Napoleon,  Frederick  the  Great  of  Prussia,  Catherine 
of  Russia,  Marie  Antoinette  of  France,  and  other  kings  and  queens, 
many  of  whom  led  mysteriously  cloudy  lives  and  came  to  a  bad  end¬ 
ing,  but  few  have  ever  heard  of  Queen  Candace,  Queen  of  Ethiopia. 

You  are  referred  to  the  Bible  (Acts  8:27)  as  a  beginning  of  the  in¬ 
formation  to  follow. 

Few  among  the  learned  in  this  present  age,  and  less  of  the  un¬ 
learned,  know  anything  about  the  origin  of  the  colored  race  in  the 
United  States.  They  are  completely  in  the  dark  as  to  their  ancestry, 
as  a  powerful  and  highly  civilized  race  of  people. 

The  fact  is,  that  while  the  Anglo-Saxons,  Celts,  Scandinavians,  Ger¬ 
mans,  and  so  on,  wore  skin  coats,  devoured  their  food  raw,  lived  in 
caverns,  and  were  busily  engaged  in  cutting  one  another’s  throats  over 
dry  bones,  the  ancestors  of  our  Colored  people  in  these  United  States 
were  enjoying  the  highest  arts  of  civilization,  lived  in  palaces,  and 
erected  magnificent  specimens  of  the  most  wonderful  architecture  in 
the  world,  and  behaved  generally  like  civilized  people. 

Recent  and  authentic  discoveries  in  Africa  have  brought  to  light, 
through  monuments  and  other  evidences,  that  the  Hamitic  race  played 
a  very  important  part  in  the  first  stages  of  the  world’s  history.  There 
are  modern  records,  which,  together  with  the  great  number  of  monu- 

83 


84 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GREAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


ments  of  great  antiquity,  demonstrate  without  the  shadow  of  a  doubt 
that  the  African  civilization  of  the  Hamitic  race,  was  older  than  the 
most  ancient  history  recorded  of  the  Egyptians,  going  back  centuries 
before  the  birth  of  Moses. 


THE  BLACK  NATIONS  A  POWERFUL  CIVILIZATION 

It  appears  now  that  Egypt  took  its  civilization  from  Ethiopia,  the 
black  empire  south  of  it. 

The  old  theories  have  been  smashed  into  atoms,  and  it  now  appears 
that  the  black  nations  of  certain  regions  of  the  continent  of  Africa  were 
not  races  in  their  infancy,  but  the  descendants  of  a  powerful  civilization 
gradually  broken  by  misfortunes  and  disastrous  wars  against  it. 

The  Egyptians  have  always  contended  that  their  forefathers 
learned  their  arts  and  largely  received  their  laws  from  the  black  em¬ 
pire  farther  south.  Throughout  the  pages  of  Homer,  the  Ethiopians  are 
spoken  of  with  great  respect,  as  the  friends  of  the  gods,  the  “blameless 
Ethiopians”  being  a  common  phrase. 

The  great  Greek  historian,  Herodotus,  who  has  been  charged  with 
drawing  upon  his  imagination  in  his  accounts  of  Africa,  is  now  demon¬ 
strated  to  have  been  truthful.  Plis  extraordinary  stories  about  the  an¬ 
cient  empire  of  Ethiopians,  south  of  Egypt,  are  being  verified  from  the 
recently  unearthed  monuments,  as  having  been  erected  by  the  very  peo¬ 
ple  of  whom  the  historian  wrote,  to  celebrate  their  victories  and  honor 
their  gods. 

Although  the  most  ancient  inscriptions  on  the  monuments  along 
the  upper  Nile  have  not  yet  been  deciphered,  the  story  of  the  Land  of 
the  Blacks  is  well  known  as  far  back  as  eight  hundred  years  before 
Christ. 

THE  BLACK  KINGS 

As  showing  a  common  civilization,  in  fact,  perhaps  a  common  ori¬ 
gin,  the  doings  of  the  Black  Kings  were  chronicled  after  the  same  fash¬ 
ion  as  those  of  the  Egyptian  kings. 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GREAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


85 


The  writing  of  the  people  of  the  Great  Black  Empire,  is  like  that 
of  the  Egyptians,  and  the  gods  they  worshiped  were  closely  related  to 
the  gods  of  Egypt. 

Inscriptions  on  these  monuments  that  have  been  deciphered,  tell 
us  that  Piankhi,  the  black  king,  conquered  Egypt  750  B.  C.,  and  that  he 
worshiped  without  question  in  Egyptian  temples,  and  the  carvings  in 
the  excavated  ruins,  which  show  men  and  women  unmistakably  Negro, 
give  evidence  of  the  similarity  of  religion. 

We  have  always  supposed,  as  told  by  the  scientists,  that  civilization 
went  up  the  Nile,  whereas,  it  is  now  proven  that  it  came  down  the  Nile, 
that  is,  from  Ethiopia  to  Egypt,  instead  of  the  other  way. 

When  Cambyses,  king  of  Persia,  conquered  Egypt  six  hundred 
years  before  the  Christian  era,  he  ventured  to  arrange  an  expedition 
against  the  black  empire  to  the  south,  stories  of  the  greatness  of  which 
he  had  been  told.  He  sent  to  the  Black  King  gifts  of  gold,  palm  wine 
and  incense,  and'asked  to  be  informed  whether  or  not  it  was  true  that 
on  a  certain  spot  called  the  “Table  of  the  Sun,”  the  magistrates,  every 
night,  put  provisions  of  cooked  meats  so  that  every  one  who  was  hungry 
might  come  in  the  morning  and  help  himself. 

The  history  proceeds  to  tell  us,  that  the  black  king,  Nastasenen, 
received  the  envoys  of  Cambyses  peacefully  but  without  enthusiasm. 
He  showed  them  the  “Table  of  the  Sun”  mentioned  by  Cambyses,  and 
took  them  to  the  prisons  where  the  prisoners  wore  fetters  of  gold,  so 
that  the  Persians  might  be  properly  impressed. 

Cambyses  was  very  much  impressed  by  the  fact  that  gold  was  so 
common  that  it  was  used  in  making  the  shackles  of  prisoners,  and  he 
made  war  upon  the  black  empire  to  get  that  gold,  but  miserably  failed. 

THE  BEAUTIFUL  BLACK  QUEEN 

We  now  come  to  the  Queen  Candace  mentioned  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  The  account  there  given  is  as  follows  (Chapter  8) : 

“26th  verse.  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto  Philip,  saying, 
arise  and  go  toward  the  south  unto  the  way  that  goeth  down  from  Jeru¬ 
salem  unto  Gaza,  which  is  desert. 


86 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GREAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


“27tli  verse.  And  he  arose  and  went:  and  behold,  a  man  of  Ethiopia, 
an  eunuch  of  great  authority  under  Candace,  queen  of  the  Ethiopians, 
who  had  charge  of  all  her  treasure,  and  had  come  to  Jerusalem  for  to 
worship.” 

This  is  all  that  relates  to  Queen  Candace,  but  it  transpires  from 
subsequent  verses  of  the  same  chapter,  that  the  treasurer  of  Queen 
Candace  was  baptized  and  Avent  on  his  way  rejoicing. 

One  queen  Candace  of  Ethiopia,  was  a  famous  black  queen,  tales  of 
whose  prowess  spread  as  far  as  Greece.  It  appears  from  the  monu¬ 
ments,  that  the  kingdom  was  ruled  by  successive  queens  each  bearing 
the  name  of  Candace,  which  may  account  for  the  different  descriptions 
of  her,  some  showing  her  as  very  beautiful,  and  some  allowing  her  but 
one  eye  with  the  disposition  of  a  termagant. 

These  kings  and  queens,  whose  records  have  been  deciphered,  are 
of  comparatively  recent  years — not  more  than  2,500  or  3,000  years  old. 
It  is  expected  that  the  results  of  the  excavations  of  the  older  ruins  will 
be  more  interesting. 


ETHIOPIANS  FIRST  LIVING  MEN 

To  revert  to  Herodotus.  This  ancient  historian  was  a  great  trav¬ 
eler,  the  first,  perhaps,  to  visit  the  region  of  the  blacks  and  their  empire. 

He  says,  somewhere  in  his  history:  “The  Ethiopians  were  the  first 
men  who  ever  lived.” 

There  is  more  astounding  evidence  of  the  civilization  of  the  black 
men  to  be  found  in  recent  excavations. 

Lying  north  of  Egypt  and  a  little  southeast  of  Greece,  in  the  Med¬ 
iterranean  Sea,  is  the  famous  Island  of  Crete,  or  Candia,  embracing 
3,326  square  miles,  and  at  the  present  time  it  has  a  population  of  about 
300,000  people  all  told. 

This  island  was  anciently  regarded  as  the  spot  where  Jove  himself 
was  cradled,  and  it  became  the  center  or  reservoir  of  the  highest  forms 
of  ancient  civilization.  All  the  ancient  Greek  and  Roman  gods  had  their 
origin  or  birthplace  on  this  island,  and  under  the  famed  King  Minos, 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GREAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


87 


nothing  disgraceful  or  monstrous  was  permitted  to  find  a  resting  place. 
It  has  always  been  a  mysteriously  unknown  island,  and  the  great  aim 
of  delvers  into  antiquities. 

Within  the  last  ten  years,  there  has  been  dug  out  in  this  island  of 
Crete,  the  remains  of  a  civilization  two  thousand  years  more  ancient 
than  any  hitherto  known  in  Europe. 


THEATRES,  PALACES  AND  TEMPLES 

There  are  actual  buildings,  theatres,  palaces,  and  temples  that  ex¬ 
isted  in  3,000  B.  C.,  and  were  mere  guess  work  in  Homer’s  time.  What 
has  been  unearthed  shows  that  there  was  communication  between  Crete 
and  Egypt  2,000  years  before  Christ.  One  of  the  frescoes  found  shows 
some  religious  ceremonial  in  the  Egyptian  style.  Some  of  the  priest¬ 
esses  are  black,  others  white,  and  the  connection  between  African  and 
Cretan  civilization  as  to  dates  will  soon  be  settled. 

Enough  appears  to  show  that  there  were  two  great  civilizations  at 
a  very  early  time,  that  in  the  Nile  country  begun  and  maintained  by 
black  men,  and  the  other  in  Crete.  The  Cretans  seem  to  have  been  a 
dark  race,  rather  small,  with  regular,  almost  Greek  profiles  and  full 
lips. 

Nothing  has  been  found  in  this  newly  discovered  cradle  of  the  hu¬ 
man  race  to  indicate  that  civilization  came  to  them  or  to  Africa  from 
Asia,  whence  it  has  always  been  thought  all  knowledge  originated. 

Everything  so  far  unearthed  in  Crete  and  in  the  Soudan,  favors  the 
theory  that  all  around  the  Mediterranean  there  arose  in  the  stone  age 
a  common  race  of  men,  who  in  the  course  of  centuries  developed  differ¬ 
ing  physical  characteristics,  and  they  peopled  Europe  and  Africa  where 
the  first  civilizations  arose  in  Crete  and  the  Soudan. 

There  is  tremendous  food  for  thought  in  these  discoveries.  It  may 
transpire  after  all  is  discovered  the  Colored  American  descended  from 
the  African,  the  Hamitic,  or  the  Negro — call  him  anything,  it  will  not 
harm  his  ancestry — is  in  fact  descended  from  a  superior  race  of  people. 


88 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GEEAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


While  the  colored  race  do  not  care  for  any  admixture  of  their  blood 
with  the  Aryan,  the  latter  need  have  no  fear  that  it  will  ever  be  forced 
upon  him. 


MOSES  MARRIED  A  COLORED  WOMAN 

What  would  Moses,  the  great  lawgiver,  say  to  you?  Listen  to  the 
good  book  in  Numbers  12:1.  “And  Miriam  and  Aaron  spake  against 
Moses  because  of  the  Ethiopian  woman  he  had  married:  for  he  had  mar¬ 
ried  an  Ethiopian  woman.” 

For  this  reviling,  the  Lord  made  Miriam  leprous,  and  punished  her, 
and  Aaron  acknowledged  that  he  had  sinned. 

While  on  this  subject,  it  may  be  interesting  to  specify  some  of  the 
doings  of  the  Ethiopians  in  ancient  history.  First,  Moses  married  an 
Ethiopian  woman  in  B.  C.  1490,  quite  a  number  of  years  before  any  leg¬ 
islature  had  an  opportunity  to  prevent  it. 

The  Ethiopians  must  have  flourished  after  the  last  mentioned  date, 
because  we  read  in  II  Kings  9,  That  Tirhakah,  king  of  Ethiopia,  had 
come  out  to  fight  the  Assyrians — quite  a  distance  from  Ethiopia — and 
the  frightened  Assyrian  king  besought  the  aid  of  Hezekiah,  king  of 
Judah.  This  happened  in  B.  C.  710. 

Again,  in  B.  C.  957,  we  learn  from  11  Chronicles  14:  9,  that  Zerah, 
the  Ethiopian,  came  out  against  Asa,  king  of  Judah,  with  a  million  men 
and  three  hundred  chariots.  The  scripture  reads,  “an  host  of  a  thou¬ 
sand  thousand.” 


GREAT  ANCESTRY  OF  COLORED  RACE 

Let  the  Colored  American  live  up  to  the  records  of  the  past  history 
of  his  race  and  prove  himself  worthy  of  his  great  ancestry. 

It  was  said  in  another  place  in  this  article  that  there  appear  to 
have  been  two  great  civilizations  at  a  very  early  period  of  time.  One 
flourished  in  the  Nile  country,  maintained  by  black  men,  and  the  other 
in  Crete, 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GREAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


89 


It  is  an  astonishing  fact,  for  it  is  fast  developing  into  a  historical 
fact,  that  a  common  race  of  men  arose,  and  that,  in  the  course  of  cen¬ 
turies,  they  developed  differing  physical  characteristics,  due  to  climatic 
necessities,  either  black,  brown  or  swarthy,  and  that  they  peopled  Eu¬ 
rope  and  Africa,  the  first  civilizations  arising  in  Crete  and  the  Soudan, 
which  is  the  very  heart  of  the  continent  of  Africa,  extending  from  the 
Equator  to  25  degrees  north  latitude,  and  from  20  degrees  west  longi¬ 
tude  to  50  degrees  east  longitude.  A  territory  comprising  1,650  by  4,650 
miles  extent,  and  including  the  “Phut”  territory,  it  is  nearly  as  large 
again. 

All  this  vast  territory  constituted  the  Empire  of  Ethiopia.  An  em¬ 
pire  that  was  able  more  than  600  years  before  the  Christian  era  to  send 
a  million  of  fully  equipped  soldiers  against  a  Jewish  king. 

A  very  slight  circumstance  has  been  the  beginning  of  explorations 
that  will  undoubtedly  alter  all  of  our  text-books  upon  the  subject  of  the 
origin  of  the  human  race. 

A  German  explorer  recently  unearthed,  in  a  remote  region  in  the 
Soudan,  a  bronze  head  of  fine  and  exquisite  workmanship.  This  has 
been  taken  as  another  evidence  of  an  ancient  African  civilization — in¬ 
deed,  a  black  men’s  civilization,  and  has  operated  as  an  incentive  for 
other  explorations. 


THE  BIBLE  AS  A  PROOF 

We  read  in  the  Bible  (I  Kings  10),  a  whole  chapter  concerning  the 
visit  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  who  visited  Solomon,  coming  to  Jerusalem 
with  a  very  great  train,  with  camels  that  bore  spices,  and  very  much 
gold  and  precious  stones.  And  that  when  she  departed  she  presented 
Solomon  with  a  hundred  and  twenty  talents  of  gold,  and  of  spices  very 
great  store,  and  precious  stones.  “There  came  no  more  such  abund¬ 
ance.  ’  ’ 

The  same  account  of  this  great  queen  is  given  in  2nd  Chronicles, 
and  in  Matthew  12:42  she  is  styled  “The  Queen  of  the  South.” 

A  quefen  from  the  South  who  could  present  Solomon  with  about  a 


90 


ETHIOPIA,  THE  GREAT  BLACK  EMPIRE 


million  dollars  of  our  money  in  gold  and  precious  stones,  was  certainly 
a  rich  and  powerful  queen. 

The  Queen  of  Sheba  had  many  successors,  however,  and  they  were 
all  warlike,  leading  their  armies  either  to  victory  or  successfully  de¬ 
fending  the  Ethiopian  empire  against  attack.  Ahasuerus,  the  most 
powerful  Persian  monarch,  who  ruled  over  146  provinces,  attempted  to 
extend  his  dominion  over  into  Ethiopia  but  could  not  succeed. 

Some  years  ago,  ruins  of  ancient  dwellings  were  discovered  in  Up¬ 
per  Rhodesia,  which  were  declared  by  Dr.  Maciver  of  Oxford  to  be 
those  of  an  ancient  African  civilization. 


BLACK  MEN  DISCOVER  ART  OF  WORKING  METALS 

Within  the  past  ten  years,  excavations  in  the  Upper  Soudan,  verify 
the  claim  that  the  black  man  was  the  first  to  discover  the  art  of  work¬ 
ing  metals,  and  that  they  gave  this  knowledge  to  Europe  and  Asia.  Dr. 
Schweinfurth,  the  famous  German  ethnologist,  and  the  University  of 
Berlin,  have  adopted  this  theory. 

Lady  Lugard,  the  authoress,  gathered  from  old  Arab  books,  many 
details  of  this  high  civilization  among  the  black  men  of  the  Upper  Nile, 
their  customs  and  government  until  quite  recent  times. 

We  know  as  a  historical  fact,  that  the  Nubians  conquered  Egypt, 
and  set  the  pace  for  a  good  government  among  the  Egyptians,  sup¬ 
pressing  many  of  their  cruel  practices. 

The  end  of  these  discoveries  is  far  from  having  been  reached.  In¬ 
deed,  they  are  just  beginning  to  attract  attention.  Enough  has  been 
unearthed,  however,  to  establish  the  ancestry  of  the  Colored  race  of 
America,  greater  and  higher  than  that  of  any  of  the  mixed  races. 


The  Genius  of  Colored  Americans  in  Liter¬ 
ature;  The  Arts  and  Sciences  Inherited 
From  the  Ancient  Ethiopians 

Read,  Study,  and  Educate  up  to  Opportunities — A  High 
Racial  Type  Appears  in  Modern  Times — A  Cause 
for  Pride  and  an  Incentive  to  Action,  Energy  and 
Efficiency. 


Men  of  learning,  wisdom,  and  honest,  without  prejudice,  take  the 
standard  of  a  race  of  men  from  his  primitive  type. 

That  type  is  sought  for  in  the  most  excellent  productions  of  the 
race,  their  achievements  and  their  position  among  civilized  nations  that 
were  the  founders  of  our  present  civilization. 

He  who  grovels  in  the  worst  human  elements  of  any  race,  knows 
nothing  about  that  race,  and  opens  the  door  to  the  degeneracy  of  all 
the  nations  and  races  on  earth,  by  advocating  them  as  the  evidences  of 
degeneracy. 

Since  the  world  began  there  have  been  good  and  bad  elements 
among  the  peoples  that  inhabited  it,  but  the  good  elements  alone  have 
survived,  the  bad  or  the  evil  has  gone  down  into  ruin.  Nations  that 
sought  to  waylay  and  throttle  progress  for  their  own  selfish  ends,  and 
immoral  purposes  have  been  forced  out  into  the  world’s  Gehenna,  and 
in  the  garbage  heap  there  are  still  rummaging  many  of  the  split  races 
of  the  earth,  and  many  individuals  bury  themselves  in  its  reek  refusing 
to  emerge  into  the  clear  sunlight. 

It  is,  as  it  always  has  been,  the  great,  the  high  hope  and  aim  of  men 
of  intellect,  and  higher  aspirations  than  the  luxuries  of  life  which  kill 
the  soul,  to  lift  the  evil  in  mankind  out  of  the  category  of  civilization, 

91 


92 


COLORED  AMERICANS  IN  LITERATURE 


and  develop  mind  and  intellect  as  the  only  adjunct  toward  universal 
unity  and  peace. 

To  cure  all  the  evil  which  afflict  men  of  every  race  and  people,  is 
an  impossibility  so  long  as  the  earth  exists  for  the  use  and  benefit  of 
mankind.  Force  has  been  tried,  but  even  the  death  penalty  does  not 
stay  crime  and  disorder.  The  Crucified  One  gave  up  his  life  and  took 
upon  himself  all  the  sins  of  men,  and  pointed  out  the  way  for  them  to 
follow  if  they  would  be  saved.  But  even  this  Majestic,  this  Divine  Sac¬ 
rifice  has  not  stayed  the  evils  afflicting  man  when  left  to  his  own  de¬ 
vices,  to  his  own  ill-regulated  freedom.  We  know  the  way,  indeed,  and 
whoso  refuses  to  follow  it,  must  be  classed  with  the  evils  we  suffer. 
Every  man  must  lift  himself  out  of  the  slough. 

There  is  food  for  thought  in  the  past,  which  hinges  much  upon  the 
present  and  the  future,  and  if  it  is  taken  in  the  proper  spirit,  it  can  not 
fail  to  develop  the  mind,  the  soul,  and  put  men  on  the  high  road  toward 
the  accomplishment  of  the  designs  of  God. 


THE  QUEEN  OF  SHEBA  AND  SOLOMON 

It  was  related  in  another  article,  that  the  Queen  of  Sheba  visited 
Solomon,  but  we  shall  give  a  further  account  of  this  great  queen  be¬ 
cause  it  will  lead  to  the  reason  why  Ethiopia  reached  a  high  state  of 
development. 

Open  the  Bible  at  1st  Kings,  10,  verses  6  to  10  and  read : 

‘  ‘  6.  And  she  said  to  the  king,  it  was  a  true  report  that  I  heard  in 
mine  own  land  of  thy  acts  and  thy  wisdom. 

‘  ‘  7.  Howbeit  I  believed  not  the  words,  until  I  came,  and  mine  eyes 
had  seen  it:  and,  behold,  the  half  has  not  been  told  me:  thy  wisdom  and 
prosperity  exceedeth  the  fame  which  I  heard. 

“8.  Happy  are  the  men,  happy  are  these  thy  servants,  which  stand 
continually  before  thee,  and  that  hear  thy  wisdom. 

‘  ‘  9.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  delighted  in  thee,  to  set 
thee  on  the  throne  of  Israel:  because  the  Lord  loved  Israel  forever, 
therefore  made  he  the  king,  to  do  judgment  and  justice.” 


COLORED  AMERICANS  IN  LITERATURE 


93 


Here  was  an  Ethiopian  Queen  who  was  clearly  desirous  of  benefit¬ 
ing  her  great  empire  and  uplifting  her  people,  traveling  in  pursuit  of 
the  best  way  to  do  it,  just  as  our  modern  men  are  now  doing. 

This,  it  should  be  remembered,  occurred  more  than  a  thousand  years 
before  the  birth  of  Christ,  or  to  bring  the  years  down  to  dp,te,  it  was 
two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  twenty-eight  years  ago — nearly  thirty 
centuries. 


THE  ETHIOPIANS  CONQUERED  EGYPT 

To  diverge  a  few  lines:  Napoleon  Bonaparte  was  a  deep  student, 
and  when  attempting  the  conquest  of  Egypt,  he  pointed  his  soldiers  to 
the  great  Pyramids  saying:  “Soldiers  of  France,  forty  centuries  are 
looking  down  upon  you,’’  he  uttered  a  truth  of  history,  and  established 
an  Ethiopian  empire  a  thousand  years  before  Solomon.  The  reason  is 
this:  The  Ethiopians  conquered  Egypt,  or  erected  it  into  a  province, 
and  built  the  great  Pyramids  that  still  exist. 

But  to  return  to  the  Queen  of  Sheba. 

She  found  a  knowledge  of  God  in  her  visit  and  carried  it  back  to 
her  people,  because  we  find  His  worship  beginning  to  make  its  appear¬ 
ance  upon  the  monuments  and  inscriptions. 

Now  a  singular  circumstance  is  presented  by  the  claim  of  Ethiopian 
kings  and  princes  after  the  visit  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba  to  Solomon. 

It  was  claimed  by  the  princes  of  Axoum,  in  Ethiopia,  which  was 
evangelized  by  the  Empress  Helena,  consort  of  the  Roman  Emperor 
Constantine,  in  the  year  324  of  the  Christian  era,  that  the  Queen  of 
Sheba  bore  a  son  to  King  Solomon,  and  that  he  was  the  founder  of  a 
dynasty,  the  annals  of  the  kingdom  giving  a  long  list  of  the  kings  de¬ 
scended  from  him,  and  relating  that  they  governed  for  centuries  with¬ 
out  interruption.  Pieces  of  their  money  still  in  existence  and  the  in¬ 
scriptions  on  recently  unearthed  monuments  furnishing  evidence  of  this 
fact. 

In  a  history  of  Alexander  the  Great,  translated  from  the  Ethiopian, 
it  is  related  of  another  Queen  of  Sheba,  who,  in  the  year  332  before  the 


94 


COLORED  AMERICANS  IN  LITERATURE 


Christian  era,  resisted  that  mighty  conqueror  with  so  much  vigor,  that 
he  capitulated  to  her  charms,  as  she  was  a  most  beautiful  woman,  and 
left  her  kingdom  in  peace.  She  laughingly  reproached  him  for  his 
weakness,  so  the  story  goes:  “You,  the  mighty  conqueror  who  have 
never  been  defeated  by  man,  have  been  captured  and  defeated  by  a 
woman.  ’  ’ 


BLACK  QUEENS  WHEN  CHRIST  WAS  BORN 

The  reign  of  the  Sheban  dynasty  was  followed  by  that  of  the  queens 
of  Candace,  who  were  ruling  Ethiopia  at  the  date  of  the  birth  of  Christ, 
indeed,  one  of  them  is  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  Matthew  12:42, 
and  her  story  is  related  in  another  chapter  of  this  book. 

Among  the  many  evidences  of  high  civilization  in  Ethiopia,  are  its 
literary  productions.  There  are  several  hundred  books  in  the  various 
public  libraries  of  Europe  which  show  a  remarkable  condition  of  devel¬ 
opment. 

In  the  way  of  history,  there  are  the  annals  of  ancient  chronology 
by  Georges  Ibn-al  Amid,  which  follows  the  geneaology  of  David  from 
Adam,  and  a  list  of  the  kings  of  Israel  and  Judea,  together  with  the 
principal  events  of  their  reigns.  To  this  is  added  a  chronology  of  the 
reigns  of  the  Roman  Emperors,  and  the  Consuls. 

In  the  chronological  book,  there  is  an  entire  chapter  giving  the  his¬ 
tory  of  the  kings  of  Ethiopia,  from  Ibn-al  Hakim,  son  of  Solomon  by 
the  Queen  of  Sheba,  down  to  recent  times. 

There  are  also  volumes  of  poems  of  great  beauty  and  perfect  meter, 
stories  of  wars,  genealogical  lists,  biographies,  commentaries,  moral 
maxims,  philosophy,  anecdotes,  astrologies,  homilies,  hymns,  etc.  All 
of  these  are  contemporaneous. 

In  proof  of  this  remarkable  condition,  reference  is  made  to  the 
“Catalogue  des  manuscripts  Ethiopiens  (Gheez  et  Amharique)  de  la 
Bibliotheque  nationale  de  Prance,  a  Paris,”  a  copy  of  which  may  be 
found  in  any  of  our  great  public  libraries. 


COLORED  AMERICANS  IN  LITERATURE 


95 


ETHIOPIAN  WOMEN  HELD  IN  HIGH  ESTEEM 

In  refinement,  the  Ethiopians  held  women  in  a  superior  position 
in  the  social  scale,  which  says  Dr.  Reich,  the  historian,  ‘  ‘  Shows  a  higher 
point  of  delicacy  and  refinement  than  either  their  Eastern  or  Western 
successors.  Colossal  in  art,  profound  in  philosophy  and  religion,  and 
in  possession  of  the  knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  the  Ethiopian 
race  exhibits  the  astounding  phenomenon  of  an  elevated  civilization  at 
a  period  when  the  other  nations  of  the  world  were  almost  unknown.” 

Referring  to  this  question  of  psychology  in  civilization  exhibited 
by  the  Ethiopians,  the  same  Dr.  Reich,  in  his  “History  of  Civilization,” 
says: 

“People,  as  a  rule  cherish  the  idea  that  nations  are  like  individuals, 
and  that  accordingly  nations  have  their  childhood,  their  youth,  and 
their  old  age,  and  their  death  just  as  we  are  used  to  see  in  individuals. 
This  entire  idea  is  utterly  false.  There  is  no  such  parallel  development. 
A  nation  is  a  mental  thing  only.” 

Dr.  Scholes,  in  his  “Glimpses  of  the  Ages,”  citing  Heeren’s  “Man¬ 
ual  of  Ancient  History,”  relative  to  the  Ethiopians,  says: 

“It  may  be  gathered  from  the  monuments  and  records  that  Upper 
Egypt  (Ethiopia)  was  the  first  seat  of  civilization,  which  originating  in 
the  South,  spread  by  the  settlement  of  colonies  toward  the  North 
(Egypt). 

‘  ‘  These  migrations  are  proved  by  the  representations,  both  in  sculp¬ 
ture  and  painting  found  in  the  yet  remaining  monuments  throughout 
Egypt.”  “Glimpses  of  Ages,”  p.  191.  Heeren,  p.  57. 

There  were  tribes  among  the  Ethiopians  which  were  of  a  low  grade 
of  civilization,  just  as  in  the  most  civilized  countries  of  the  present 
times,  there  are  peoples  of  a  very  low  grade,  not  only  in  civilization  but 
in  intelligence.  But,  there  existed  a  highly  cultured  and  civilized  Ethi¬ 
opian  people,  who  dwelt  in  cities,  erected  temples  and  other  edifices, 
and  who  had  good  government  and  humane  laws.  Moreover,  their  fame 
and  progress  in  knowledge  and  their  social  arts  spread  in  the  earliest 
ages  over  a  considerable  part  of  the  earth. 


96 


COLOEED  AMERICANS  IN  LITERATURE 


Upon  the  authority  of  Heeren,  already  referred  to,  and  upon  their 
own  investigations,  Dr.  Glidden  and  Dr.  Morton,  who  are  quoted  in 
Scholes’  “Glimpses  of  the  Ages,”  made  an  examination  of  the  Egyptian 
skulls,  and  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  the  Egyptians  and  the  Ethi¬ 
opians  never  came  from  Asia,  but  were  indigenous  or  aboriginal  inhab¬ 
itants  of  the  African  Nile  country,  and  were  all  of  the  “Negroid  type.” 

ANCIENT  EGYPTIANS  WERE  NEGROES 

Peatherstone  in  his  “Social  History  of  the  Races  of  Mankind,”  goes 
still  further,  and  confidently  asserts  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  were 
of  the  Negro  race. 

“This,”  he  adds,  substantially,  “is  borne  out  on  all  the  Egyptian 
paintings,  sculptures,  and  mummies ;  the  hair  found,  as  well  as  that  pos¬ 
sessed  by  their  descendants,  the  Copts,  is  the  curly,  or  woolly  variety, 
and  the  lips  and  nose  the  same. 

“The  fact  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  were  Negroes  three  thousand 
six  hundred  years  before  the  Christian  era  is  substantiated,  and  that 
their  population  in  Egypt  at  that  period  amounted  to  seven  millions.  ’  ’ 

Admitting  all  these  things  to  be  true,  it  may  be  asked:  “Well, 
what  of  it?  What  good  will  that  do  the  Colored  Americans?” 

It  has  to  do  with  Colored  Americans  as  much  as  an  ancient  highly 
civilized  ancestry  has  to  do  with  the  modern  Jews.  They  know  that 
their  race  is  not  extinct;  that  they  are  an  integral  part  of  the  great 
movement  of  all  mankind  toward  a  unification  of  mind  and  intelligence. 
This  fact  burned  into  their  minds  must  operate  as  an  incentive  of  the 
greatest  propelling  force  to  urge  them  onward  toward  the  high  destiny 
that  awaits  all  mankind. 

That  they  are  working  out  the  plans  of  the  Almighty  by  so  doing, 
puts  them  in  the  vanguard  of  civilization,  with  opportunities  at  hand 
to  avail  themselves  of  all  the  advantages  attached  to  such  a  high  pur¬ 
pose.  There  is  something  to  work  for — something  worth  working  for, 
and  when  the  Colored  American  takes  this  high  view  of  his  destiny,  it 
will  be  too  small  a  thing  to  notice,  even  should  he  be  denied  the  privi¬ 
lege  of  sitting  beside  a  white  man. 


COLORED  AMERICANS  IN  LITERATURE 


97 


THE  JEW  AND  THE  COLORED  MAN 

A  curious  racial  transformation  is  going  on  in  the  United  States 
outside  the  two  divisions  of  man,  the  Jew  and  the  Colored  man,  which 
means  much  more  to  the  ethnologist  and  lover  of  mankind  than  is  ap¬ 
parent  on  the  surface.  The  various  nations,  such  as  the  English,  French, 
German,  Irish,  Scotch,  Spaniard,  etc.,  are  rapidly  losing  their  identity 
of  race  or  descent,  and  becoming  American  with  new  facial  traits,  as 
well  as  mental  attributes.  All  these  nations  or  tribes,  will  lose  their 
identity  and  be  merged  into  another  and  dilferent  stock  distinctly 
American,  perhaps  revert  to  the  parent  Aryan  stock.  Thus  we  shall 
witness,  the  four  primitive  divisions  of  mankind,  the  Aryan,  rehabili¬ 
tated;  the  Jew  or  Semitic,  with  renewed  wisdom;  the  Ethiopian,  or 
Hamitic,  still  a  distinct  race,  and  the  Turanian,  or  Chinese,  working 
together  to  accomplish  a  unity  of  nations,  one  in  thought  and  high  pur¬ 
pose.  Everything  is  apparently  working  in  that  direction,  and  there 
is  no  single  nation,  or  union  of  nations  of  diverse  civilization  that  will 
be  able  to  stay  the  movement. 


7— D  S 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE  IN 
THE  UNITED  STATES 


The  Result  of  a  Great  Civilized  Ancestry — Some  of  our  Colored 
Americans,  Their  Doings  and  Their  Personality 


The  Colored  Americans,  as  one  of  the  great  divisions  of  the  human 
family,  with  as  proud  an  ancestry  and  as  high  a  civilization  as  the  Jews, 
and  co-eval  with  them  in  the  point  of  cultured  antiquity,  are  proving 
themselves  as  progressive  and,  with  the  additions  of  modern  culture, 
civilization  and  progress,  are  building  their  race  up  to  a  high  point  of 
excellence. 

They  have  bridged  the  ages,  so  to  speak,  and  are  showing  them¬ 
selves  penetrated  with  the  spirit  of  a  civilizing  evangelization,  which 
began  in  the  Far  East,  nearly  four  thousand  years  ago. 

They  are  carrying  down  to  date,  without  losing  by  an  intermission, 
the  great  aims  and  purposes  of  the  Ethiopian  Candace  and  Sheba  dy¬ 
nasties,  under  which  were  introduced  the  arts  and  sciences,  sculpture 
and  painting  into  Egypt  and  Europe,  refinement,  literature,  and  wise 
government. 

They  are  demonstrating  every  day,  that  they  are  moving  with  the 
great  divisions  of  the  human  race,  toward  that  high  goal  of  unity  that 
is  the  evident  purpose  of  God  in  creating  man. 

Under  an  enlightened  political  system,  the  few  aggravations  in  the 
local  laws  of  which  will  soon  disappear  beneath  the  mighty  onward 
tread  of  the  peoples  of  the  earth,  our  Colored  Americans  are  beginning 
to  realize  their  destiny,  and  are  seizing  the  opportunities  that  present 
themselves  for  their  benefit,  as  for  the  benefit  of  a  common  destiny  of 
all  men. 

They  are  beginning  to  understand,  and  they  are  acting  upon  the 

98 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE 


99 

understanding  that  education  is  the  chief  factor  in  the  solution  and 
proper  attainment  of  their  destiny. 

This  “education”  has  always  been  the  essential  element  in  the  rise 
and  progress  of  every  nation  on  the  earth,  the  educated  have  forced 
their  way  upward  toward  the  light,  and  become  factors  in  the  world’s 
progress  toward  enlightenment.  Those  who  have  ignored  education 
have  fallen  and  lie  buried  beneath  the  sands  of  the  deserts  of  Europe 
and  Asia,  without  descendants  or  successors,  and  known  only  to  the  ex¬ 
cavator  of  ruins.  Their  very  races  have  disappeared  without  a  trace. 


THE  CASE  OF  THE  JAPANESE 

The  marvelous  rise  of  the  Japanese  is  due  to  the  seizure  of  the  op¬ 
portunity  of  education,  and  appropriating  every  detail  that  goes  to 
make  power  and  physical  influence. 

Not  much  more  than  three  generations  ago,  the  Japanese  empire 
was  a  mere  name,  an  isolated  country  of  semi-barbarians,  a  mere  tribe 
without  power,  influence  or  standing  as  a  national  unit.  It  is  now  clam¬ 
oring  at  the  door  of  every  civilized  nation  for  recognition  as  a  world 
power,  and  threatens  to  enforce  its  demands  with  an  army  and  navy 
that  is  too  formidable  to  be  ignored  or  slighted. 

It  has  reached  the  acme  of  the  physical  and  lays  claim  to  that  alone 
as  its  right  to  recognition.  It  has  not  yet  learned  that  in  the  great 
movement  of  the  peoples  of  the  earth  toward  uniflcation,  the  physical 
must  go  down  before  the  psychological,  and  therefore,  if  the  Japanese 
persist  in  their  physical  prowess,  they  will  disappear  as  have  other 
greater  nations  claiming  the  same  force  as  the  summit  of  earthly  influ¬ 
ence.  They  are  mere  fragments  of  a  tribe  detached  from  the  Turanian 
division  of  the  human  family. 

History  repeats  itself  always  in  the  cases  of  the  great  divisions  of 
the  human  family,  where  some  branch  attempted  to  usurp  the  power, 
functions  and  authority  of  the  whole. 

The  Assyrians,  the  Persians,  the  mighty  mistress  of  the  world,  the 


100 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE 


Roman  Empire,  vanished  like  a  breath  when  they  presumed  to  stand  in 
the  way  of  the  designs  of  the  Almighty. 

All  were  pawns  upon  the  chess-board  of  time,  so  to  speak,  the  very 
foundation  of  which  is  soul,  that  attempted  to  wrest  the  fiat  from  its 
meaning  by  the  adoption  of  brute  or  national  force. 

They  served  the  purpose  of  carrying  man  toward  a  certain  goal  on 
the  way  to  his  final  pinnacle,  then  claimed  the  results  of  the  uplift,  and 
went  down  through  vanity  and  presumption. 

Japan  with  its  physical  impress  persisted  in,  will  go  down  like  the 
rest.  It  must  go  down  because  it  does  not  represent  any  factor  in  the 
Divine  designs.  But  it  is  an  illustration  of  what  education  will  accom¬ 
plish,  and  its  fate  will  illustrate  what  human  nature,  obsessed  by  its 
own  reliance  upon  force,  will  reach  in  the  end. 

Our  Colored  Americans  have  no  such  incentive  as  force  or  physical 
designs.  The  conquerors  of  the  earth  were  compelled  to  yield  to  the 
educational  programme  to  uplift  the  soul  of  man,  not  his  material  pros¬ 
pects,  except  so  far  as  they  advanced  the  psychological,  and  they  may 
be  said  to  be  now  in  that  psychological  phase  of  the  movement  of  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  which  leads  to  the  highest  point  of  intensive  civili¬ 
zation, 


A  GREAT  DIVISION  OF  THE  HUMAN  FAMILY 

It  should  be  constantly  borne  in  mind,  that  the  Ethiopians  and  their 
descendants,  the  Colored  Americans  in  the  United  States,  represent  a 
great  division  of  the  human  family,  which,  with  the  others,  are  alone 
to  be  considered  in  the  great  design  of  unification. 

The  Roman  Empire  represented  no  such  portion  of  the  human  fam¬ 
ily.  Assyria,  Persia,  Egypt,  and  the  dominating  historical  peoples  were 
all  mixed,  and  when  their  uses  had  culminated,  that  is,  when  there  was 
no  more  use  for  them,  or  when  they  ventured  to  assume  superiority 
over  the  rest  of  the  earth,  they  were  submerged. 

Of  the  mighty  races  that  constituted  the  primitive  divisions  of  man, 
there  are  now  remaining,  with  each  bearing  a  sharp  line  of  distinction 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE 


101 


between  them,  the  Aryan,  Semitic,  Turanian,  and  Ethiopian.  Into  these 
four  divisions  all  the  nations  and  peoples  of  the  earth  may  be  resolved. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  Aryan  consists  of  the  white  race ;  the  Ethi¬ 
opian,  or  Hamitic  of  the  dark  race;  the  Semitic,  the  Jews,  and  the 
Turanian,  the  yellow  race,  of  which  the  Japanese  are  a  mere  branch  of 
a  subdivision. 

Each  of  these  great  divisions  of  the  human  family  has  its  own  part 
to  play  in  the  great  drama  of  the  world ’s  progress,  and  the  elimination 
of  brute  force  or  the  physical  as  a  negative  element  in  progress,  has 
brought  these  grand  divisions  face  to  face  with  the  problem  of  psychol¬ 
ogy,  mind  or  soul.  It  is  immaterial  what  it  is  called,  it  cannot  be  dis¬ 
regarded. 

The  conditions  or  environments  that  have  hedged  in  these  great 
divisions  have  appeared  to  be  similar  in  the  world’s  histoiy.  The  Jews 
had  their  mighty  empire.  The  Aryan  developed  into  enormous  power, 
but  broke  into  fragments.  The  Ethiopian  possessed  the  initial  civiliza¬ 
tion  of  the  world,  and  the  Turanian,  evidenced  by  the  Chinese,  have  still 
a  high  position  in  the  world. 

Let  us  give  a  few  details  and  then  proceed  to  the  progress  of  our 
Colored  Americans  toward  the  fulfillment  of  the  great  design: 

The  Jews  lost  their  physical  empire  to  become  a  psychological 
force.  The  Aryan  became  split  into  numerous  branches  which  are  now 
existing  and  moving  steadily  forward  toward  the  psychological.  The 
Turanians  that  controlled  the  Orient  for  ages  by  their  physical  prowess, 
have  become  a  great  republic  based  upon  the  power  of  mind.  The  great 
Ethiopian  empire  after  leaving  its  impress  upon  the  civilization  of  the 
world,  was  transformed  into  the  psychological  progress  of  the  other 
members  of  the  human  family. 

It  will  be  perceived  that  all  of  them  are  drifting  toward  the  same 
point,  and  that  each  of  them  is  employing  all  the  advantages  and  de¬ 
vices  of  modern  life  to  continue  on  the  march  toward  that  point,  at 
which  all  men  shall  be  of  one  mind,  one  soul. 


102 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE 


OPPORTUNITY  AND  ADVANTAGES  OF  COLORED  AMERICANS 

The  Colored  Americans  in  the  United  States,  with  their  advantages 
are  accepting  the  inevitable  in  the  form  of  opportunities  presented 
them,  and  are  as  irresistibly  impelled  toward  the  ultimate  goal  of  uni¬ 
fied  mankind  as  the  others. 

Let  us  consider  our  Colored  Americans  at  close  range  and  see  what 
they  are  doing  in  the  way  of  seizing  opportunities,  and  building  them¬ 
selves  up  to  the  accepted  modern  standards. 

ECONOMIC  PROGRESS 

The  one  essential  of  modern  life  which  the  Colored  American  has 
not  attained  to  perfection,  is  the  proposition  of  economy.  Not  saving, 
but  business  qualifications.  But  he  is  an  apt  pupil  and  is  rapidly  ac¬ 
quiring  experience. 

The  reports  of  1912  give  the  value  of  property  owned  by  the  Col¬ 
ored  people  in  the  United  States  as  six  hundred  millions  of  dollars.  Anri 
upon  this  they  pay  taxes. 

A  year  ago.  The  National  Negro  Business  League  held  its  eleventh 
annual  session  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  with  every  State  represented 
by  delegates. 

The  wide  range  of  Negro  business  activities  discussed  at  that  an¬ 
nual  meeting,  shows  a  vast  stride  toward  improved  commercial  condi¬ 
tions,  and  an  adaptability  to  the  opportunities  presented.  Some  of 
these  activities  were:  Raising  and  shipping  fruits  and  poultry;  pickles 
and  preserve  manufactories;  horticulture:  grain,  hay,  and  fuel;  cotton 
raising;  dealers  in  fresh  and  salt  fish;  farming  and  stock  raising;  town 
building;  real  estate;  railroad  building;  coal  and  iron  business;  general 
and  special  merchandising;  banking,  and  a  multitude  of  other  busi¬ 
nesses.  Sixty-two  banks  are  operated  by  Colored  Americans,  and  there 
is  a  National  Negro  Bankers’  Association,  with  W.  R.  Pettiford  its 
President,  the  latter  gentleman  being  President  of  the  Alabama  Penny 
Savings  Bank,  the  second  oldest  Negro  bank  in  the  country.  The  Bank- 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE 


108 


ers’  Association  has  in  process  of  formation,  a  large  central  Negro  bank 
to  act  for  Negro  banks  in  the  same  capacity  as  the  great  banks  of  the 
East  act  as  clearing  houses  for  the  other  banks  of  the  country. 

It  transpired  in  this  connection,  that  the  various  Negro  secret  so¬ 
cieties  had  on  hand  a  large  amount  of  money  for  the  purposes  of  mem¬ 
bers  ’  funds  and  for  widows.  The  Knights  of  Pythias  alone,  holding  in 
all,  cash  and  property  $1,500,000. 

INTELLECTUAL  PROGRESS 

When  it  comes  to  mental  success  and  adaptability,  the  advance  of 
Colored  Americans  is  phenomenal,  and  shows  as  high  an  order  of  intel¬ 
ligence  as  any  nationality  in  the  world.  Remember  they  are  just  re¬ 
gaining  a  lost  heritage  of  renown. 

The  schools,  colleges  and  universities  number  among  their  brightest 
and  most  brilliant  pupils  numerous  Colored  American  youths,  who  are 
an  honor  to  the  cause  of  education  and  to  their  race.  They  have  won 
scholarship  prizes  at  Cornell  University,  at  Amherst  College,  Simmons 
College,  Columbia  University,  Wellesley  College,  RadclifPe  College, 
Howard  University,  and  in  numerous  public  schools  prizes  have  been 
awarded  them  against  numbers  of  competitors. 

Our  Colored  Americans  are  taking  hold  of  the  educational  problem 
with  a  vim  and  courage,  and  they  are  succeeding  along  every  depart¬ 
ment  of  study. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  thirst  for  knowledge,  the  case  of  Mrs. 
Martha  Harmon,  of  New  York,  will  be  agreeable:  This  lady  is  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  attended  night  school  for  four  years,  taking  an  ele¬ 
mentary  course.  She  never  missed  an  evening  and  was  late  only  once. 
The  New  York  Board  of  Education  presented  her  with  two  gold  medals, 
one  for  attendance,  and  the  other  for  proficiency  in  her  studies. 

The  intellectual  progress  of  the  Colored  Americans  may  be  empha¬ 
sized  by  reference  to  that  highly  modem  and  civilized  agent  of  educa¬ 
tion  known  as  “The  Press.” 


104 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  PACE 


There  are  now  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  organs  of  the 
Colored  Americans,  edited  and  managed  exclusively  by  them,  and  de¬ 
voted  to  their  interests  as  well  as  to  the  cause  of  general  intelligence, 
improvement  and  higher  education.  These  organs  of  the  “Press”  are 
classified  into:  magazines,  3;  daily  papers,  3;  school  papers,  11;  weekly 
papers,  136. 

Ten  of  these  newspapers  own  the  buildings  they  occupy,  and  fifty- 
four  own  their  own  printing  plants. 

There  is  a  large  field  here  for  exploitation  and  splendid  opportuni¬ 
ties  for  the  development  of  a  high  order  of  intellect.  Only  one  of  these 
newspapers  was  established  before  the  Civil  War,  the  Christian  Ee- 
corder,  of  Philadelphia,  which  began  in  1839.  All  the  others  were  es¬ 
tablished  after  the  Civil  War,  one  in  1865,  the  others  after  1870 — a  fact 
which  demonstrates  the  ability  of  Colored  Americans  to  advance  in  in¬ 
tellectual  ability  when  the  opportunities  are  presented  for  its  free  ex¬ 
ercise. 

The  sphere  of  influence  of  the  newspapers  can  not  be  disputed,  we 
know  how  it  is  regarded  and  the  enormous  deference  paid  to  that  influ¬ 
ence  among  the  White  Americans,  and  the  same  results  must  obtain 
among  the  Colored  Americans. 

There  is  room  in  this  department  of  intellectual  development,  for 
many  strong  and  vigorous  writers,  who  will  be  able  to  crystallize  the 
energies  of  the  Colored  Americans  into  a  determined  effort  to  maintain 
their  position  in  the  onward  movement  of  the  human  race  toward  uni¬ 
fication. 


AUTHORS,  WRITERS,  POETS  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS 

An  investment  in  brains  has  always  been  regarded  as  the  most  pro¬ 
ductive  in  profitable  returns.  It  is  becoming  the  fixed  opinion,  based 
upon  ages  of  experience,  that  the  uplift  of  the  world,  the  advancement 
of  people  and  their  progress  can  be  accomplished  by  brains  only. 

War  and  its  desolations,  its  ravages,  rapine,  and  cruelties,  have  for 
a  time  swayed  and  dominated  various  parts  of  the  earth,  but,  it  must  be 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE 


105 


considered  that  violence  is  the  mere  handmaid  to  an  uplift  by  intel¬ 
lectual  effort.  War  prepares  the  way  for  intellect  and  secures  it  an  op¬ 
portunity  to  be  made  manifest  without  molestation. 

If  we  refer  to  the  ‘  ‘  Catalogue  des  manuscripts  Ethiopiens,  ’  ’  already 
mentioned,  we  shall  find  a  most  amazing  condition  of  intellectual  devel¬ 
opment  among  the  ancient  Ethiopians.  It  was  this  intellectual  condi¬ 
tion  that  made  its  impress  upon  Egypt,  and  the  other  nations  of  Europe 
and  Asia,  because  the  Ethiopians  were  not  a  conquering  race  by  force 
of  arms,  except  so  far  as  it  was  necessary  to  protect  themselves  against 
attack. 

If  we  turn  to  their  descendants — our  Colored  Americans — we  find 
the  same  intellectual  efforts  resumed  and  progress  going  on  in  a  marked 
degree  under  favorable  circumstances  and  highly  civilized  and  free 
conditions  and  environments.  The  same  talent  and  genius  that  sculp¬ 
tured  the  exquisite  Ethiopian  bronze  statuary  recently  discovered  in 
The  Soudan,  carved  the  beautiful  designs  on  Egyptian  monuments, 
traced  the  architecture  of  noble  palaces  and  immortal  buildings,  still 
traceable  in  ruins  more  than  three  thousand  years  old,  and  other  evi¬ 
dences  of  art,  is  manifesting  itself  at  the  present  day  among  our  Colored 
Americans  and  other  descendants  in  foreign  countries. 

Consider  Lethierre,  once  president  of  the  School  of  Pine  Arts  at 
Rome,  within  our  present  generation,  and  view  his  paintings  that  now 
adorn  the  walls  of  the  Louvre  in  Paris. 

We  should  not  omit  Edminia  Lewis,  the  sculptress,  whose  admir¬ 
able  works  required  a  residence  in  Rome,  nor  Henry  Owassa  Tanner, 
the  eminent  artist,  whose  gems  of  art  are  represented  in  the  fine  art 
museums  of  the  world.  There  are  numerous  others  but  these  are  given 
to  emphasize  the  point  of  present  Ethiopian  intellectual  ability. 

Among  writers  were  Alexander  Poushkin,  the  celebrated  Russian 
poet.  He  was  a  Negro  with  curly  hair  and  a  black  complexion,  but  a 
man  of  extraordinary  talent  and  versatility,  in  prose  fiction,  and  history 
as  well  as  poetry. 

Jose  Maria  Heredia,  the  greatest  of  Spanish- American  poets,  was  a 
Colored  man,  likewise  the  poet  Placidio. 


106 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  RACE 


We  can  not  forget  Paul  de  Cassagnac,  of  France,  editor,  author  and 
poet,  who  was  also  a  Colored  man. 

Dumas,  the  noted  dramatic  author  and  novelist,  was  a  colored  man, 
and  a  most  prolific  popular  author,  poet,  dramatist,  novelist  and  essay¬ 
ist.  That  great  production  ‘  ‘  Camille  ’  ’  is  familiar  to  all  theater-goers  in 
the  world,  and  when  a  man  rises  and  says:  “The  world  is  mine,”  he 
uses  the  language  of  Dumas’  Monte  Christo,  a  world-wide  novel  that 
has  been  translated  in  all  languages  and  performed  on  every  stage. 

We  might  go  on  for  pages  and  refer  to  the  Ethiopian  intellect  as 
something  almost  dominant  in  the  world  of  letters  in  foreign  countries, 
but  must  refer  to  our  own  Colored  Americans  as  this  work  concerns 
them  particularly. 

We  can  claim  as  our  own  Williams,  the  historian,  the  first  Colored 
American  ever  elected  to  the  Ohio  legislature,  and  at  one  time  judge 
advocate  of  the  G.  A.  E.  of  Ohio. 

Phillis  Wlieatley,  the  girl  who  translated  the  Latin  “Metamor¬ 
phoses  of  Ovid”  in  Boston,  which  were  republished  in  England  as 
standard.  Under  the  most  distressing  and  adverse  circumstances  Phil¬ 
lis  Wheatley  became  a  scholar  and  a  poetess  of  distinction  and  the  asso¬ 
ciate  of  culture  and  refinement  in  Boston. 

Paul  Laurence  Dunbar  may  be  held  up  to  all  as  an  example  worth 
following  as  a  man,  a  poet,  a  novelist,  and  a  journalist.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years  he  published  his  first  book,  ‘  ‘  Oak  and  Ivy,  ’  ’  and  fol¬ 
lowed  it  with  others  that  commanded  the  attention  and  received  the 
encomiums  of  the  literary  world  in  the  United  States.  His  poetry  ap¬ 
peals  to  the  heart  and  the  hearth,  and  the  intensity  of  thought  displayed 
in  his  numerous  writings  is  relieved  by  humor  and  quaint  philosophy. 
Dunbar  is  a  triumphant  and  unerring  demonstration  of  Ethiopian  in¬ 
tellect. 

James  B.  Corrothers,  the  poet  and  prose  writer,  is  another  illustra¬ 
tion  of  the  power  of  applied  intellect.  Corrothers  will  be  always  known 
for  the  high  order  as  well  as  humor  of  his  writings,  in  the  United 
States  and  in  England  where  his  “Jim  Crow”  idea  of  Negro  fun  is  still 
supreme.  Of  his  “The  Black  Cat  Club,”  a  prominent  literary  and 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  PACE 


107 


critical  magazine,  says:  ‘ ‘ The  Black  Cat  Club  should  be  commemorated 
by  cultivated  people  of  color  as  a  second  Emancipation  Day.” 

Charles  W.  Cbesnutt,  lawyer,  writer,  editor,  historian  and  novelist, 
easily  stands  as  a  standard  to  be  looked  up  to  by  the  members  of  his 
race. 

Miss  Inez  C.  Parker,  whose  flights  of  fancy  evolved  from  the  higher 
realms  of  thought,  betray  the  poetic  gift  of  her  race  to  a  singular  de¬ 
gree  of  beauty.  As  a  poetess  and  writer,  her  destiny  in  aiding  the  up¬ 
lift  of  humanity  and  helping  it  toward  the  universal  goal,  is  manifest 
in  every  outpouring  of  her  genius. 

These  are  only  a  few  of  many,  the  most  prominent  now  before  the 
world.  There  are  many  others  coming  on  and  they  will  soon  appear  to 
the  astonished  eyes  and  ears  of  the  people  who  have  no  thought  of  the 
great  future  and  destiny  of  the  Colored  Americans. 


THE  OVERGROUND  RAILROAD 

A  Mighty  Way  to  Progrcss^The  Underground 
Railroad  a  Thing  of  the  Past 


The  old  folks  revel  in  stories  about  the  “Underground  Eailroad.” 
They  traveled  over  it,  and  we  may  admit  that  it  took  them  to  liberty. 
We  may  even  go  farther  than  that,  and  say  that  it  lifted  from  the  shoul¬ 
ders  of  a  great  race,  a  weight  that  was  crushing  them  down,  and 
brought  them  into  the  land  of  ‘  ‘  Opportunity.  ’  ’ 

But  all  that  is  ancient  history.  What  happened  even  yesterday  is 
old,  and  we  are  too  busy  today  working  to  take  advantage  of  the  things 
offered  us  today,  and  that  will  happen  tomorrow,  to  dream  about  the 
past. 

We  are  all  working  to  make  things  turn  out  to  our  advantage,  and 
the  less  we  dwell  about  the  past  the  closer  we  get  to  the  golden  fruit. 

We  are  living  in  a  practical  age,  and  the  man  who  does  things 
prospers,  while  the  dreamer  starves  or  gropes  about  at  the  bottom  of 
the  ladder. 

All  men  need  things;  want  something  done  for  them.  It  is  good 
business  policy  to  supply  the  wants  and  to  do  the  things  everybody 
wants  done. 

We  mentioned  the  “Underground  Railroad”  as  something  that 
benefited  the  race;  but  we  have  its  successor  in  the  way  of  transporta¬ 
tion  that  is  reaping  profit  from  that  benefit. 

That  successor  is  the  “Overground  Railroad.”  It  is  a  system  of 
transportation  such  as  the  world  has  never  seen  or  used. 

You  ask:  “What  is  an  ‘Overground  Railroad?’”  Everybody  can 
answer,  or  thinks  he  can,  so  he  says:  “Why,  it  is  a  railroad  that  runs 
over  the  land  and  transports  passengers  and  freight.  ’  ’  But  the  answer 

108 


THE  OVERGROUND  RAILROAD 


109 


does  not  hit  the  mark,  for  this  particular  Overground  exercises  a 
mightier  power;  possesses  a  wider  influence  than  the  mere  haulage  of 
passengers  and  freight. 

It  carries  opportunity,  activity,  benefit,  incentive,  intelligence, 
knowledge,  and  progress  to  every  corner  of  this  great  land  and  into 
every  town,  village,  city,  hamlet,  even  the  cross-roads  are  reached. 

It  reaches  every  one  of  ten'millions  of  a  great  race  that  less  than 
two  decades  ago  were  forbidden  opportunity,  and  compelled  to  travel 
over  the  “Underground  Railroad.”  Now,  everything  belonging  to  the 
great  mass  of  mankind,  or  to  which  they  are  entitled  or  may  aspire,  is 
parceled  out  with  lavish  hand  to  all  w'ho  wish  to  take.  The  effort  is 
yours,  the  prize  awarded  you. 

In  round  numbers  there  are  about  two  hundred  thousand  miles  of 
railroads  in  the  United  States,  spreading  out  in  every  direction  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  and  from  Lake  Superior  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Many 
of  them  reach  over  into  Mexico  and  Canada. 

On  the  trains  operated  by  these  railroads,  there  are  thousands  of 
Pullman  cars,  drawing-room  and  chair-cars.  All  of  these  cars  are  in 
the  charge  of  Colored  Americans,  the  sum  total  of  their  number  run¬ 
ning  up  into  tens  of  thousands.  These  men  are  the  posterity,  the  de¬ 
scendants  of  the  passengers  of  the  old  “Underground  Railroad.” 

It  is  true  philosophy  that  makes  for  education  and  wisdom,  gives 
polish,  affords  incentives  to  ambition  and  a  leaning  toward  high  ideals, 
as  well  as  offering  opportunities — always  bear  in  mind  “Opportunity” 
for  that  is  what  counts.  Now  imagine  the  bright  men  and  women  that 
travel  on  these  two  hundred  thousand  miles  of  railroad.  Imagine  also, 
our  ten  thousand  men  circulating  among  them;  mixing  with  them;  in 
daily  and  hourly  contact  with  them!  Something  must  come  of  this 
association,  and  something  does  come,  which  something  is  of  incalcula¬ 
ble  benefit. 

The  passengers  on  the  Overground  Railroad  are  men  and  women 
from  every  part  of  the  world.  They  are  the  successful  people;  the  ex¬ 
perienced  people,  and  the  leaders  of  thought.  They  have  taken  oppor¬ 
tunity  by  the  forelock  and  ridden  it  to  the  finish.  Otherwise  they  would 
not  he  able  to  travel. 


110 


THE  OVERGROUND  RAILROAD 


Tliej’’  are  soldiers,  statesmen,  politicians,  lawyers,  clergymen,  phy¬ 
sicians,  scientists,  and  everything  that  is  the  highest  and  noblest  in  the 
world. 

Their  number  according  to  statistics,  runs  up  into  the  hundreds  of 
millions  of  passengers  annually.  Our  ten  thousand  in  the  performance 
of  their  duties,  listen  to  their  interchange  of  opinions;  note  everything 
that  is  worth  knowing;  glean  opportunities,  and  absorb  information  and 
wisdom. 

If  you  have  noticed  any  of  these  ten  thousand  off  duty  and  on  his 
way  home,  you  can  not  have  failed  to  see  gentlemen. 

These  men  are  really  the  operators  of  our  ‘  ‘  Overground  Railroad  ’  ’ 
in  the  highest  sense  of  management.  They  are  not  mechanical,  they  are 
observing  and  possess  the  power  of  mental  acquisitiveness,  due  to  their 
surroundings  and  their  contact  with  the  passengers.  They  are  the  op¬ 
posites  of  the  patrons  and  passengers,  and  managers  of  the  old  “Under¬ 
ground  Railroad,”  which  is  switched  off  into  the  sidetrack  of  forgetful¬ 
ness. 

The  Pullman  man  from  New  York  City  meets  his  brother  Pullman 
employee  from  San  Francisco,  let  us  say,  at  St.  Louis.  Their  regular 
stunt  is  about  two  thousand  miles  each,  with  the  care  of  numbers  of  the 
passengers  coming  from  tens  of  thousands  of  miles  apart,  from  all  over 
the  globe,  in  fact. 

What  is  the  result  of  this  meeting?  To  an  outsider  it  is  something 
like  this : 

“How  are  you,  Sam?” 

“How  are  you.  Bill?” 

“Have  a  New  York  stogie.” 

‘  ‘  Have  a  San  Francisco  cheroot.  ’  ’ 

That  is  all  the  outsider  sees  or  learns.  But  when  these  men  get 
away  and  apart,  they  exchange  notes  of  everything  that  they  have 
learned  on  the  trip  or  has  transpired  on  their  routes.  They  are  mes¬ 
sage  bearers  of  everything  they  have  learned  new  from  their  passen¬ 
gers. 

Multiply  this  one  instance  with  thousands  of  similar  instances. 


THE  OVERGROUND  RAILROAD 


111 


We  have  every  city  in  the  world  linked  with  every  other  city;  every 
nationality  brought  in  contact  with  every  other  nationality;  every  class 
and  character  of  individual  tied  up  with  every  other  class  of  individu¬ 
als,  and  these  men  are  the  great  deposit  reservoirs  of  everything. 

They  become  laden  with  unlimited  cosmopolitan  and  universal 
knowledge  and  information,  charged  with  it  as  a  bee  is  charged  with 
honey  in  its  flights  from  bush  to  bush  and  from  flower  to  flower. 

This  is  not  an  exaggeration,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  of  such  common 
knowledge  that  we  think  nothing  about  it.  It  is  every-day  fact  that 
any  one  can  see  for  himself  by  going  to  any  railroad  depot  in  the  coun¬ 
try. 

We  said  these  men  are  the  great  deposit  reservoirs  of  everything, 
but  unlike  the  most  of  our  deposit  reservoirs,  they  are  also  the  sources 
of  distribution  through  innumerable  channels.  Their  business  is  like 
the  training  at  a  State  Normal  School  with  actual  experience  added  in 
unlimited  quantities.  They  go  out  from  these  training  schools,  or  rath¬ 
er  from  this  educational  system  belonging  to  every  Overground  Rail¬ 
road  and  scatter  knowledge,  information,  and  opportunity.  A  word, 
even  a  hint,  of  what  “a  man  told  me  on  the  run  from  New  Orleans  to 
Chicago,”  and  one  or  perhaps  many,  find  themselves  boosted  into  op¬ 
portunities  they  never  would  have  found  without  the  operators  on  the 
Overground  Railroad. 

These  Pullman  employees  are  evangelists,  news  gatherers,  and  ex¬ 
perienced  men  acquainted  with  the  ways  and  doings  of  the  world.  They 
have  homes,  abiding  places,  wives,  sweethearts,  brothers,  sisters, 
friends.  They  have  their  clubs  and  meeting  places,  and  they  unload 
their  information  and  knowledge,  mixed  with  opportunity,  to  ears 
greedy  for  advancement,  and  opportunities  for  betterment. 

They  scatter  broadcast  high  aspirations  and  incentives  to  progress 
among  the  ten  millions  of  the  posterity  of  the  patrons  of  the  old  Under¬ 
ground  Railroad. 

Through  this  means  the  most  astounding  results  have  been  accom¬ 
plished — results  that  have  never  happened  any  other  race  since  the 
world  began. 


112 


THE  OVEEGEOUND  RAILROAD 


The  Israelites  dwelt  in  Egypt  for  four  hundred  and  thirty  years, 
and  waited  for  a  Moses  to  come  and  lead  them  out  of  their  unpleasant 
environments.  There  were  about  six  hundred  thousand  of  them,  and 
most  of  their  posterity  are  still  dreaming  of  the  past. 

The  four  millions  that  started  the  Underground  Railroad,  have  in¬ 
creased  to  ten  millions  in  a  generation  and  a  half,  and  they  led  them¬ 
selves  out  to  the  promised  land. 

Imagine  ten  millions  of  any  other  race  in  the  United  States  with 
perfect  freedom  of  action!  We  might  well  shudder  at  what  would  hap¬ 
pen  us — happen  the  countr3^  We  do  not  feel  that  way  about  the  pos¬ 
terity  of  the  operators  and  passengers  of  the  old  Underground  Rail¬ 
road.  They  are  peaceable,  earnest  students  of  the  ways  of  civilization, 
and  they  are  working  upward — they  are  ambitious  to  learn  and  con¬ 
stantly  devise  methods  of  improving  their  condition  in  the  same  way 
all  true  American  citizens  are  following.  They  have  their  homes,  their 
children,  and  their  attachments  in  our  midst,  in  fact,  they  belong  to 
our  soil,  and  have  no  desire  to  depart  elsewhere  to  spend  their  money. 
They  are  always  ready  to  shed  their  blood  for  the  Stars  and  Stripes, 
and  are  always  willing  to  leap  to  the  nation’s  rescue,  or  to  aid  in  pro¬ 
moting  its  welfare. 

Where  does  the  Colored  race  learn  all  these  things?  Not  in  the 
schools  for  they  are  limited,  and  live  too  much  in  the  musty  past,  but 
the  cap-sheaf  of  the  education  of  the  race,  its  maintenance  as  a  factor 
in  the  civilization  of  the  earth,  is  in  their  contact  with  the  world,  their 
absorption  of  the  wisdom  and  experience  of  the  world’s  people,  due  in 
a  great  measure  to  the  operators  of  the  Overground  Railroad. 

Through  this  source  the  great  race  is  learning  that  there  is  no  voca¬ 
tion  to  which  it  may  not  aspire  in  time  to  come  and  the  opportunities 
for  intellectual  development  and  its  benefits  are  multiplying  rapidly. 

Already  there  is  a  great  sprinkling  of  dark  skins  in  every  avenue 
of  life,  commerce,  trade,  science,  and  in  everything  that  the  white  skin 
aspires  to.  Look  down  for  a  moment,  and  compare  your  state  with 
that  of  the  scavenger,  the  sewer  digger,  the  section  hand,  and  the  grades 
of  labor  so  attractive  to  foreign  elements  that  come  here  to  scrape  up 


THE  OVERGEOUND  RAILROAD 


118 


enough  to  return  to  their  wallow  in  their  various  native  lands.  You 
are  far  above  these  and  you  belong  here  and  you  are  rising  with  the 
best. 

You  are  put  upon  the  initiative,  and  find  out  new  ways  of  doing  old 
things  which  is  what  makes  civilization  progress,  and  you  have  the  door 
of  opportunity  invitingly  open  to  you  always.  You  have  only  to  open 
your  eyes  to  see  opportunity  within  your  grasp.  You  are  associated 
with  the  management  of  the  Overground  Railroad. 

SUCCESS  THROUGH  SELF  HELP 

The  opportunities  afforded  by  the  Overground  Railroad,  in  the 
way  of  obtaining  information,  can  not  be  overestimated.  It  is,  practi¬ 
cally,  a  school  of  instruction  that  may  be  attended  by  any  one,  and 
who  may  follow  the  bent  of  his  desires  afterward. 

There  are  two  classes  of  people  who  may  avail  themselves  of  the 
educational  process  undertaken  by  the  dissemination  of  information 
through  the  medium  of  the  Overground  Railroad:  The  man  who  is 
aided  in  his  life  work,  and  the  man  who  must  help  himself.  It  is  of  the 
man  who  must  help  himself,  of  the  “self-help”  man,  that  there  is  more 
to  be  said  of  than  the  other.  He  represents  the  bone,  sinew  and  brains 
of  the  nation. 

When  a  man  or  woman  succeeds  in  reaching  a  high  position 
through  his  or  her  own  efforts,  or  in  attaining  a  point  from  which  the 
work  of  a  lifetime  begins,  and  in  the  direction  of  success,  the  pride  of 
attainment  is  justifiable. 

There  are  many  who  have  the  strength  of  purpose  and  the  will 
power  to  utilize  the  forces  of  mind  and  body  within  them,  and  develop 
themselves  with  the  aid  of  that  power. 

Their  examples  are  an  illustration  of  a  higher  education  that  really 
educates. 

The  man  or  woman  who  sits  with  folded  hands  waiting  for  someone 
to  help  him,  or  for  something  to  turn  up  or  come  his  way,  so  that  he 
can  seize  upon  it  without  trouble  or  labor,  is  too  far  gone  in  uselessness 
in  the  present  age  to  be  worth  trying  to  lift  up. 

8— L  S 


114 


THE  OVERGEOUND  RAILROAD 


We  are  all  interdependent  in  this  world  of  business,  but  must  not 
imagine  that  because  we  must  live  with  and  do  business  with  others, 
that  we  can  depend  solely  upon  those  others.  Every  man  must  stand 
upon  his  own  ability  and  exertions. 

The  men  who  do  this  succeed  through  self-help,  self-reliance,  self- 
knowledge,  and  self-sufficiency.  The  greatest  men  in  history  are  those 
who  worked  themselves  up  from  humble  surroundings  and  against  tre¬ 
mendous  odds.  It  is  always  the  brain  that  conceives  the  thought,  and 
the  strong  arm  that  executes  the  mandates  of  the  thought.  Where  the 
physical  arm  is  not  strong  enough,  the  brain  quickly  conceives  a  method 
of  supplying  the  difficulty. 

It  was  the  boast  of  the  philosopher  Archimedes  that  he  could  move 
the  world  if  he  could  find  a  fulcrum  for  his  lever.  The  modem  man  is 
so  far  advanced  that  he  finds  a  fulcmm  for  his  lever,  and  if  he  does  not 
move  the  earth,  he  moves  a  large  part  of  it. 

If  we  take  the  pains  to  look  about  us,  we  shall  find  every  avenue  of 
human  endeavor  occupied  by  self-made  men.  These  men  originated 
in  the  most  humble  surroundings,  but  lifted  themselves  up  through  the 
sheer  force  of  their  own  energy  of  character  and  vital  force  backed 
by  persistence. 

The  history  of  the  world  has  pages  about  the  men  who  sprang  up 
from  humble  sources  and  amid  the  greatest  difficulties.  They  overcame 
them  somehow,  some  say  by  the  aid  of  Providence,  but  we  know  thJit 
it  was  through  innate  courage,  brains,  energy  and  persistence. 

Every  man  may  raise  himself  up  by  his  own  efforts,  indeed,  the 
man  who  uses  another  as  his  ladder  will  soon  find  himself  leaning  on  a 
broken  reed,  and  amount  to  very  little  in  this  world  of  struggle  and 
competition. 

AVho  knows  better  what  a  man  can  do  than  the  man  himself? 
There  are  always  hidden  sources  of  strength  in  every  man,  and  he 
alone  is  able  to  bring  them  into  use.  Remember  one  point  in  this  age 
of  competition:  Learn  how  to  do  things,  and  then  set  about  doing 
them  of  your  own  accord.  The  man  who  waits  to  be  pushed  ahead  sel¬ 
dom  finds  any  pushers.  This  is  the  wisdom  of  experience,  and  will  not 
bear  argument,  so  true  it  is. 


TRAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR 
LIFE’S  WORK 


Physical  Development — Exercise  for  Pleasure  and  Profit — 
Uniformity  in  the  Use  of  the  Muscles — General  and  Special 
Muscle  Training — Systematic  Hardening  of  the  Body 
— Various  Kinds  of  Exercises — Key  to  Good 
Health  and  Mental  Activity 

A  Strong  Healthy  Man  Is  Always  Selected 
for  the  Best  Positions 


In  all  ages  of  the  world  physical  development  has  been  regarded 
as  a  preparation  for  health  and  the  successful  beginning  of  a  life  work. 

The  ancients  had  a  maxim  to  the  effect  that  there  should  be  a 
healthy  mind  in  a  healthy  body,  and  that  there  could  not  be  a  healthy 
mind  in  an  unhealthy  body. 

In  these  days  when  good  health  and  a  companion  physical  develop¬ 
ment  are  so  much  in  demand,  you  must  train  yourself  for  your  life 
work  in  such  a  way  as  to  merit  a  selection  for  the  best  positions. 

Here  is  the  reason  why  a  man  is  often  turned  aside  from  a  position 
where  he  might  be  mentally  qualified.  One  look  at  him  explains  the 
reason  for  his  failure  to  he  given  the  opportunity.  He  is  not  physically 
developed. 

The  times  and  the  business  undertaken  by  every  man  is  strenuous. 
He  must  be  prepared  for  hardships,  and  will  never  attain  any  good  po¬ 
sition  if  he  carries  that  in  his  body  or  face  which  indicates  inability  to 
stand  the  strain  or  liability  to  succumb  under  it. 

Nobody  wants  a  man  who  will  work  along  for  a  shorter  or  longer 

115 


116 


TBAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR  LIFE’S  WORK 


time  and  then  break  down  and  be  obliged  to  quit  altogether  or  for  time 
enough  to  recuperate. 

This  physical  training  is  now  called  “Athletics,”  and  it  must  be 
practiced  advisedly  and  not  at  random.  It  is  for  the  promotion  of 
health  and  manly  vigor,  just  as  much  as  bathing  is  for  the  promotion 
of  cleanliness  and  health. 

ETHIOPIANS  NEARLY  PERFECT 

Among  the  Colored  race,  there  are  many  splendid  types  of  athletes. 
In  the  old  days,  the  Ethiopian  was  considered  a  masterpiece  of  physical 
architecture.  He  entered  any  list  where  muscular  power  was  to  be 
exhibited  and  carried  off  the  victory.  In  great  trials  of  strength  and 
wrestling  he  had  no  superior. 

As  the  Ethiopian  was  in  the  past,  his  descendants  in  our  Colored 
Americans  are  today.  In  football,  baseball,  rowing  and  in  wrestling, 
the  Colored  American  has  no  superior  in  skill  or  prowess. 

Particularly  is  this  the  case  in  the  college-trained  athlete.  His 
prowess  has  brought  him  fame,  his  skill  and  courage  have  gained  for 
him  the  respect  and  admiration  of  thousands.  Not  only  that,  but  it  is 
easily  established  from  ocular  evidence  that  nearly  every  college  ath¬ 
lete  of  prominence  has  worn  his  honors  with  modesty. 

There  is  a  native  muscular  development  in  the  Colored  American 
of  healthy  and  good  habits,  which,  if  directed  in  the  right  channels  of 
athletic  activities  would  lower  many  a  record. 

Physical  training  including  athletics  is  becoming  a  well  outlined 
course  in  every  school  for  colored  youth.  When  in  the  hands  of  experi¬ 
enced  teachers,  and  developed  under  the  direction  of  a  department  of 
physical  education,  it  will  lift  our  Colored  Americans  up  a  few  notches 
higher  in  the  scale  of  manhood. 

There  can  be  no  question  about  its  value  as  a  developer  of  man¬ 
hood  and  a  health  producer.  But  never  as  a  prize-fighting  school.  This 
of  itself  is  debasing  in  the  extreme.  We  are  growing  away  from  the 
mercenary  brutality  of  former  years,  and  all  classes  are  vying  with  one 
another  to  engage  in  a  contest  of  development  that  will  make  for  man¬ 
hood. 


TKAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR  LIFE’S  WORK 


117 


Our  schools  and  colleges  are  aware  of  the  difference  between  ath¬ 
letics  for  health  and  manhood  and  the  debasing  school  of  the  prize¬ 
fighter.  They  are  introducing  it  in  many  instances,  and  the  course 
offers  an  opportunity  not  to  be  ignored  or  lost.  Young  man,  your  physi¬ 
cal  nature  is  part  and  parcel  of  your  intellectual  condition. 

Physical  exercise  is  as  essential  to  the  growth  of  the  human  body 
as  drink  and  food  is  for  nourishment. 

The  human  body  is  developed  by  muscular  exertion,  and  its  good 
health  and  perfect  growth  depend  upon  the  regular  practice  of  some 
form  of  motion  that  will  bring  into  use  all  the  various  parts  of  the 
system. 

When  we  say  “regular  practice”  we  mean  that  if  it  is  desired  to 
maintain  the  body  in  a  good  condition  for  the  uses  and  occupations 
of  life,  exercises  must  be  practiced  every  day — not  once  in  a  while,  or 
at  random. 

The  man  or  woman  whose  muscles  are  trained  in  line  with  the  occu¬ 
pation  pursued  for  a  livelihood,  is  better  fitted  to  become  perfect  in 
that  occupation  than  one  who  does  not  take  exercise,  or  not  enough  to 
keep  his  usable  muscles  well  trained.  Nobody  can  play  the  piano 
perfectly  unless  the  muscles  of  the  fingers,  hand,  and  wrist  have  un¬ 
dergone  a  severe  training.  It  is  the  same  with  driving  a  nail,  digging 
a  garden,  singing  a  song,  or  anything  requiring  muscular  exertion,  the 
muscles  put  into  use  must  be  trained,  or  there  is  no  perfection  in  the 
work. 

The  first  and  most  important  muscle  training,  in  fact  the  very 
essence  of  physical  development,  is  in  breathing.  The  lungs  must  have 
oxygen  to  supply  the  blood,  and  the  oxygen  being  in  the  air  we 
breathe,  the  more  we  can  put  into  the  lungs,  the  better  for  develop¬ 
ment. 

In  breathing,  the  muscles  of  the  chest  are  expanded  in  proportion 
to  the  length  of  the  breath  taken.  The  lungs  should  be  filled  to  their 
full  capacity,  and  this  can  only  be  done  by  taking  long,  deep  breaths, 
slowly  and  evenly,  swelling  out  the  chest  to  its  widest  extent. 

The  inspiration  of  the  breath  should  be  commenced  slowly  and 


118 


TRAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR  LIFE’S  WORK 


continued  evenly  until  no  more  air  can  be  inhaled.  Then  the  respira¬ 
tion,  or  breathing  out  should  be  slow  and  continuous  until  you  feel 
the  necessity  of  taking  another  breath. 

To  breathe  properly,  there  must  not  be  anything  to  restrict  the 
swelling  of  the  muscles  of  the  chest.  Any  posture  that  will  give 
these  muscles  free  action  is  proper.  Standing,  lying,  arms  extended, 
held  over  the  head,  head  thrown  back  or  forward,  are  all  suitable 
positions  for  deep  breathing. 

One  point  to  be  always  borne  in  mind,  is  to  breathe  deep  and  full 
whatever  work  you  are  engaged  in.  In  running,  the  breath  is  apt  to 
come  in  short,  snappy  volumes,  or  panting.  In  hard  muscular  work 
with  the  arms  it  is  customary  to  measure  the  breaths  by  the  exertion 
employed  in  the  work.  All  this  is  not  conducive  to  deep  breathing, 
and  it  may  be  overcome  by  a  little  practice.  Try  running  and  at 
the  same  time  breathe  slowly  and  deeply  and  you  will  run  faster 
and  tire  OTjt  less  quickly. 

Always  breathe  through  the  nostrils  and  never  through  the  mouth. 
If  you  have  to  open  your  mouth  to  breathe,  it  is  either  habit  or 
because  the  nostrils  are  clogged.  In  the  latter  case  they  should  be 
cleared  out  to  permit  drawing  in  a  deep  inhalation  of  air  through 
the  channel  nature  intended. 

The  exercises  for  breathing  should  be  preliminary  to  any  other 
exercise  of  the  muscles.  The  reason  for  this:  Every  exercise  or 
movement  of  the  body  either  when  at  work  or  at  play,  consumes  or 
burns  up  a  certain  amount  of  the  tissues  of  the  body  and  these  used 
up  tissues  must  be  replaced,  or  nature  will  very  soon  call  a  halt 
and  refuse  to  permit  you  to  do  any  work  or  play — the  body  becomes 
used  up.  The  waste  of  the  body  is  replaced  by  the  oxygen  taken  into 
the  lungs  through  breathing,  and  a  person  may  eat  all  sorts  of  nour¬ 
ishing  foods,  and  take  all  kinds  of  remedies  to  restore  his  weariness 
and  bring  him  up  to  his  work,  but  none  of  them  will  be  of  any  avail 
without  the  air  drawn  into  the  lungs  by  the  breath.  There  is  where 
the  stomach,  the  blood,  the  liver,  the  heart,  etc.,  obtain  the  essential 
element  of  oxygen  to  stimulate  them  into  activity. 


TRAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR  LIFE’S  WORK 


119 


With  our  breathing  regulated,  the  next  step  is  to  begin  develop¬ 
ing  the  other  muscles  of  the  body.  There  is  at  this  point  a  good  rule 
to  follow  which  is:  Train  every  muscle  of  the  body  uniformly  to 
acquire  a  general  development  along  every  organ  and  muscle.  This 
general  muscular  training  should  be  begun  with  the  child  at  an  early 
age,  and  be  conditioned  upon  his  strength  for  their  quantity  of  exer¬ 
cise.  So  a  weak  person  can  not  stand  as  much  or  as  strong  exercise  as 
a  stronger  person.  Every  one  must  he  his  own  judge  in  this  matter. 
Many  noted  men  have  brought  on  a  fatal  illness  from  over  exertion 
or  over  exercise  at  a  late  age  wh'en  their  system  was  not  prepared  to 
withstand  violent  methods.  It  is  said  that  James  Gr.  Blaine  began 
a  course  of  gymnastic  exercises  in  the  belief  that  he  would  gain 
strength,  but  it  killed  him.  The  younger  a  beginning  is  made  at 
gymnastics,  the  better  it  will  be  in  after  life. 

One  point  to  he  remembered  is:  Never  overstrain  or  attempt  to 
harden  the  body.  Every  shock  is  dangerous,  and  the  delicate  mech¬ 
anism  of  the  human  body  must  he  handled  gently  until  it  can  bear 
greater  strains.  To  plunge  into  violent  exercises  without  previous 
training  is  as  had  as  using  a  delicate  and  costly  watch  as  a  base  ball 
and  expect  it  to  keep  good  time. 

To  train  all  the  muscles  of  the  body  uniformly  as  a  beginning 
of  muscular  or  physical  development,  prepares  a  foundation  for  any 
special  muscle  training  that  may  be  desired,  and  guarantees  success 
where  failure  would  most  undoubtedly  result  from  the  special  train¬ 
ing  first.  All  the  muscles  of  the  body  are  interdependent.  One  of 
them  cannot  be  trained  alone  without  affecting  another  one,  or  draw¬ 
ing  upon  it  for  material  to  supply  the  waste  already  spoken  of.  But 
when  all  are  trained,  then  it  is  easy  to  pass  to  the  training  of  any 
special  muscle. 

To  begin  a  general  training  or  muscular  development  of  the  body, 
it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  it  is  the  muscles  that  hold  the  body 
up  and  not  the  bones.  Both  are  essential  to  the  human  construction, 
but  the  muscles  play  a  more  important  part  in  the  bodily  movements 
than  the  bones.  Few  people  consider  that  to  stand  or  sit  properly 


120 


TRAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR  LIFE’S  WORK 


tLe  muscles  of  the  body  must  be  trained.  The  poise  of  the  head,  the 
erect  position  of  the  shoulders,  the  proper  holding  of  the  arms  and 
hands,  depend  ujjon  the  training  and  development  of  the  arms  and 
shoulders.  Most  persons  are  negligent  in  this  respect  and  allow  the 
upper  part  of  their  bodies  to  hang  by  their  bones.  This  is  noticeable 
in  those  who  are  “stoop  shouldered,”  a  habit  which  becomes  fixed. 
The  first  thing  a  soldier  is  trained  to  do  is  to  stand  erect  and  hold 
himself  up  by  his  muscles.  No  person  who  can  not  control  his  upper 
muscles  will  acquire  any  grace  or  beauty  of  movement.  The  use  of 
Indian  clubs,  even  an  ordinary  chair,  would  be  something  to  grasp 
and  swing  about  to  train  the  upper  muscles,  all  the  time  breathing 
slowly  and  as  deep  as  possible.  Grasp  something  tight  with  the 
hands  and  swing  it  about  the  head  or  up  in  the  air,  or  round  and 
round  and  keep  it  up  a  certain  length  of  time  every  day.  Throwing  a 
ball  is  good  for  the  muscles  of  the  arm,  shoulders  and  back  partic¬ 
ularly.  Let  the  muscles  have  free  play  is  the  rule  to  follow  in  every 
variety  of  exercise. 

The  muscles  of  the  lower  limbs  come  next  in  the  order  of  develop¬ 
ment  systematically,  although  they  should  be  exercised  at  the  same 
time  as  the  muscles  of  the  upper  portion  of  the  body.  The  object  of 
this  is  to  prevent  over-development  of  any  series  of  muscles  by  train¬ 
ing  all  simultaneously. 

The  muscles  of  the  lower  limbs  include  those  of  the  hips  down 
to  the  extremity  of  the  toes.  Persons  in  sedentary  occupations  MUST 
exercise  these  muscles  under  penalty  of  having  them  become  feeble, 
flabby  and  unreliable.  With  such  persons,  as  age  creeps  on,  the 
steps  become  uncertain  and  “wobbly,”  presenting  the  appearance 
of  extreme  age  even  before  middle  age  has  been  reached. 

Those  who  walk  much  should  take  systematic  exercise  for  the 
benefit  of  the  lower  muscles,  because  the  occupation  requiring  the 
use  of  the  lower  muscles  fixes  them  in  a  groove  or  habit  not  conduc¬ 
ive  to  control.  That  is,  the  muscles  become  set  in  a  certain  direction, 
whereas,  it  is  essential  to  enable  them  to  move  freely  and  easily  in 
any  direction, 


TRAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR  LIFE’S  WORK 


121 


The  best  exercises  for  standing,  sitting,  and  walking  are  those 
directed  by  the  will  power  or  energy  acting  directly  upon  all  the 
muscles  and  maintaining  an  equilibrium  so  that  gradual  development 
of  the  entire  body  will  be  reached. 

This  is  accomplished  by  what  is  known  as  “flexible  action,”  in 
the  lines  of  changing  curves  which  distinguishes  the  beauty  and  grace 
of  motion  from  mere  strength. 

There  are  three  phases  in  this  natural  development:  Angular, 
circular  and  spiral.  The  human  form  poised  squarely  on  both  feet 
is  the  spiral,  the  head  a  convexed  curve,  the  body  a  concave  curve, 
and  the  legs  a  convexed  curve,  like  a  wave  line.  To  preserve  this 
spiral  line  of  changing  curves,  the  weight  is  always  thrown  against 
the  strong  side  so  as  to  develop  the  weak  side  and  maintain  an  equi¬ 
librium.  Standing  should  be  principally  upon  the  balls  of  the  feet, 
and  the  exercise  should  be  to  incline  the  body  to  and  from  the  oppo¬ 
site  curves.  There  should  be  no  slouching  at  the  hips.  In  walking, 
stand  erect,  feet  together,  abdomen  in,  chest  up,  and  shoulders  firm. 
Then  advance  the  thigh  and  let  the  leg  hang  free  from  the  knee  down. 
Straighten  the  leg  and  plant  the  ball  of  the  foot  in  advance  with  the 
toes  straight  in  front,  and  so  on  alternately  with  each  foot,  carrying 
the  head  erect  with  the  chin  drawn  well  in. 

To  sit  down  let  the  muscles  come  into  play  and  not  the  bones, 
as  it  is  through  the  muscles  only  that  gracefulness  can  be  acquired. 
To  rise  from  a  sitting  to  a  standing  position,  all  the  muscles  should 
work  in  unison  and  the  body  arise  at  once  to  a  standing  position.  To 
kneel  the  same  play  of  the  general  muscles  should  be  applied.  A  cow 
or  a  camel  is  not  very  graceful  when  performing  the  act  of  kneel¬ 
ing  preparatory  to  lying  down,  but  that  is  because  they  are  animals 
and  not  human.  The  mere  act  of  touching  the  hat  in  salutation  is 
graceful  or  awkward  as  the  muscles  are  trained.  A  graceful  sweep¬ 
ing  curve  of  the  arm,  a  gentle  bend  of  the  muscles  of  the  neck,  inclin¬ 
ing  to  a  curved  bow,  and  the  salutation  is  graceful.  Otherwise  the 
motion  is  raw  and  provocative  of  an  idea  of  ill  breeding. 


122 


TRAIN  YOURSELF  FOR  YOUR  LIFE’S  WORK 


While  exercising  the  muscles  of  the  body  simultaneously,  we  are 
not  only  acquiring  grace  and  suppleness,  but  we  are  strengthening 
the  various  muscles  and  enabling  them  to  develop  along  the  lines  of 
their  natural  curves.  By  a  sytematic  training,  the  surface  of  the 
body  becomes  filled  or  rounded  out,  all  angularity  disappears,  and  the 
various  muscles  work  or  slide  smoothly  over  one  another  and  each 
one  fits  into  the  proper  place  without  a  jar  or  wrinkle.  Even  the 
face  may  be  trained  to  the  avoidance  of  wrinkles  and  seams  by  a 
trifle  of  exercise  applied  to  the  muscles.  The  main  point  being  to 
prevent  any  muscular  habit  which  means  a  wrinkle  or  a  seam.  Mas¬ 
sage  alone  may  do  some  good  in  this  respect,  but  the  muscles  of  the 
face  should  be  worked  through  the  will  power. 

In  line  with  exterior  physical  development,  the  interior  muscles 
should  not  be  forgotten.  The  proper  play  of  the  interior  muscles, 
those  belonging  to  the  heart,  the  lungs,  the  intestines,  stomach,  etc., 
are  all  more  or  less  affected  by  exterior  exercises  tending  toward  phys¬ 
ical  development.  Flabbiness  of  exterior  begets  flabbiness  of  the  in¬ 
terior  muscles,  and  this  means  an  imperfect  action  which  ends  in  in¬ 
ability  to  resist  disease,  or  the  encroachments  of  age  and  hardening 
of  the  walls  of  the  arteries. 

Movement  is  the  law  of  nature  and  whatever  does  not  or  can  not; 
move  is  considered  dead  to  the  scientists,  or  on  the  way  to  death. 
Every  atom  of  the  human  body  is  in  motion  toward  the  maintenance 
of  life  in  the  muscles  of  every  kind.  The  blood  circulates  rapidly,  so 
rapidly  that  any  perfumed  substance  injected  into  the  blood  at  a 
finger  point,  is  immediately  tasted  by  the  mouth.  So  with  the  lymph 
channels  which  convey  nourishment  to  the  blood  for  distribution  to 
all  the  muscles  to  keep  them  up  to  their  work.  The  billions  of  atoms 
that  constitute  the  flesh  of  the  muscles  and  of  the  nerves,  are  in  con¬ 
stant  motion,  without  which,  the  body  would  lose  all  energy  and  be¬ 
come  inert.  By  exercising  the  muscles  constantly  and  uniformly, 
we  are  giving  the  atoms  of  the  human  system  free  and  full  play,  and 
enabling  them  to  perform  their  functions.  We  may  indeed  say,  that 
exercise  and  physical  development  mean  LIFE. 


THE  TEACHER,  DOCTOR,  LAWYER, 
CLERGYMAN— WHICH  ARE 
YOU  FITTED  FOR? 


There  are  four  professions,  callings  or  vocations,  which  are  justly 
styled  “learned  professions,”  because  they  carry  with  them  the  highest 
degree  of  intelligence,  tact,  and  wisdom. 

They  are  so  common,  however,  in  these  modern  times,  that  many  of 
their  followers  do  not  command  the  respect  to  which  their  calling  is  en¬ 
titled,  and  hence,  the  professions  themselves  have  greatly  fallen  into 
disrepute;  particularly  so  when  it  comes  to  select  one  of  them  for  a 
life  work. 

Viewing  the  teacher,  the  doctor,  the  lawyer,  and  the  clergyman  from 
the  common  standpoint,  there  is  no  money  in  the  professions. 

Here  is  where  the  trouble  lies.  To  be  a  teacher,  a  doctor,  a  lawyer, 
or  a  clergyman  for  the  sake  of  what  can  be  made  out  of  either,  is  to  in¬ 
sult  the  noblest  professions  in  the  world.  They  are  what  have  kept  the 
world  together  since  the  beginning,  and  we  should  take  our  hats  off  to 
them  out  of  respect. 

The  lawyer’s  duty  is  to  protect  his  client’s  civil  rights  and  keep 
society  within  the  law. 

The  doctor  preserves  the  health  of  his  patients  while  they  are  about 
their  business,  and  the  clergyman  points  out  the  way  to  a  hereafter 
that  may  mean  our  eternal  weal  or  woe. 

In  the  chapter  on  “Opportunities,”  we  show  that  these  professions 
are  within  the  reach  of  any  one  who  possesses  an  aptitude  and  has  the 
brains  to  acquire  proficiency. 

As  to  brains,  let  it  be  understood  that  everybody  possesses  sufficient 
brains  for  any  avocation  in  life,  but  they  must  be  properly  fed  or 

123 


124 


WHICH  PEOFESSION  AEE  YOU  FITTED  FOE? 


trained  to  be  of  use.  Most  men’s  brains  are  of  the  same  weight  and 
measurement.  But  some  very  learned  men  have  possessed  very  small 
brains,  while  men  of  the  most  magnificent  proportions,  but  as  ignorant 
as  men  can  be  and  feed  themselves,  have  been  known  to  possess  brains 
of  double  the  weight  of  the  learned. 

.We  give  the  manner  of  training  brain  in  another  place,  but  assume 
here  that  the  young  man  who  desires  to  enter  either  one  of  the  three 
professions  w^e  are  treating  of,  must  have  the  aptitude  and  the  brains. 

The  same  general  remarks  may  be  applied  to  the  lawyer  and  the 
clergyman. 

The  aptitude  is  the  trend  of  the  mind  in  the  direction  of  the  profes¬ 
sion  chosen.  It  must  be  a  “first  and  only  love,”  so  to  speak,  for  the 
brain  is  an  exacting  master  or  mistress  and  easily  changes  if  not  cud¬ 
dled  and  humored. 

Back  of  and  aiding  aptitude,  is  the  humanity  demanded  of  every 
man  of  either  of  these  professions.  When  life  hangs  in  the  balance  the 
doctor  is  called  upon  to  display  the  tenderest  humanity.  If  a  man  is 
to  be  sent  to  poverty  through  loss  of  his  liberty  or  property  the  lawyer 
must  exhibit  all  the  refinements  of  skill  and  humanity  without  regard 
to  his  fees.  The  human  soul  striving  to  reach  the  eternal  goal  of  rest, 
peace,  and  happiness,  appeals  to  the  highest  heart  throbs  of  the  clergy¬ 
man.  If  you  can  not  enter  into  this  spirit,  then  do  not  choose  either  of 
these  learned  professions  for  you  will  prove  a  failure. 

The  learning  required  to  master  either  of  these  professions  can  be 
acquired  only  after  the  most  painstaking  and  arduous  study.  To  learn 
the  essence  of  things,  the  meaning  of  life  and  death,  the  movements 
that  produce  life  and  death,  and  the  symptoms  that  proclaim  disease, 
come  within  the  purview  of  the  doctor.  How  can  he  tell  what  will  be 
the  effect  of  his  medicine  unless  he  knows  what  the  disease  is  and  what 
effect  upon  the  human  body  will  be  his  medicines?  He  must  know  inti¬ 
mately  the  thousand  and  one  essential  parts  of  the  human  body,  how 
they  operate  and  their  effects.  If  in  aiming  at  one  part  he  affect  an¬ 
other,  death  may  ensue. 

Have  you  a  steady  hand,  controllable  nerves,  and  a  cool  brain? 


WHICH  PROFESSION  ARE  YOU  FITTED  FORI 


125 


You  need  them  all  to  perfection  to  be  a  surgeon  and  apply  the  knife  in 
order  to  cure  suffering  humanity.  The  surgeon  must  stand  in  the  pres¬ 
ence  of  a  mortal  enemy  with  his  finger  pressed  to  the  trigger  of  his 
weapon  and  watch  for  the  exact  instant  when  he  shall  press  it  to  save 
life. 

The  lawyer  must  possess  not  only  an  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  laws  of  the  land,  but  must  have  delved  deep  into  the  underlying 
principles  that  form  the  foundation  of  all  law  and  government.  Logic, 
tact,  patience,  and  verbal  skill  with  ready  wit  on  all  occasions,  are  to 
him  what  the  electric  spark  is  to  a  motor.  It  was  said  by  a  learned 
judge  that  many  cases  were  lost  where  justice  should  have  prevailed  to 
win,  because  of  a  failure  to  properly  present  the  matter  to  the  court. 

It  is  not  a  loud  voice,  a  browbeating  disposition,  or  a  pompous  bear¬ 
ing  that  bring  success,  it  is  the  careful  close  reasoner,  the  quiet  mole 
that  undermines  the  solid  earth  foundation  of  his  opponent,  and  topples 
it  down. 

The  clergyman  is  a  man  of  sacrifices.  His  own  opinions  go  for 
naught  because  he  is  not  the  maker  of  justice  and  right,  but  their  ex¬ 
ponent.  He  sees  beyond  the  faint  traces  of  what  we  humans  call 
“love,”  a  powerful  love  that  rules  the  world — the  love  of  God — and  he 
puts  the  two  together  so  that  the  lesser  will  be  absorbed  in  the  greater. 

The  great  trouble  may  seem  to  be  the  variety  of  different  sects  and 
the  difficulty  to  select  the  right  one.  Man,  they  are  all  aiming  in  the 
right  direction.  They  point  toward  the  sky,  and  bring  a  man’s  man¬ 
hood  in  line  with  the  soul,  his  spiritual  part,  and  the  imperishable  part. 
There  is  no  room  for  bigotry,  no  room  for  anything  but  charity,  and 
loving  kindness. 


THE  ROAD  TO  SUCCESS 

OR 

EASY  LESSONS  FOR  EVERY  DAY  LIFE 


The  way  to  success  in  anything  is  always  an  upward  climb,  the 
down  grade  is  always  a  flat  failure. 

In  considering  this  matter,  it  will  be  well  to  remember  and  bear 
constantly  in  mind,  that  it  is  easier  to  ^lide  down  hill  than  it  is  to  climb 
up. 

We  may  say,  therefore,  that  success  is  purely  a  question  of  exertion. 

The  road  to  and  up  the  slope  of  the  hill  of  life  is  roomy  enough  and 
to  spare  for  everybody,  and  there  need  not  be  any  crowding.  But  the 
way  is  strewn  with  wrecks,  many  submerged  before  beginning  their 
journey,  others  lodged  in  some  cranny  half  way  up,  and  others  start  up 
so  bravely  and  so  rashly  that  they  can  not  stop  at  the  summit  where 
the  prize  is  situated,  but  their  momentum  carries  them  over  and  down 
to  the  bottom  on  the  other  side. 

The  steady,  earnest  worker  plods  along,  sees  that  his  footing  is 
firmly  fixed  before  he  takes  a  next  step.  He  grabs  at  some  retaining 
point  and  never  lets  go  of  it  until  he  has  hold  of  another  support. 

When  he  reaches  the  top,  he  can  stop  and  breathe,  likewise  flatter 
himself  that  he  has  succeeded  by  hard  work  and  steady  perseverance. 

The  fact  is,  that  unless  a  man  is  bom  with  a  silver  spoon  in  his 
mouth,  that  is,  well  provided  by  his  ancestors  with  a  goodly  supply  of 
this  world’s  goods,  there  is  no  royal  road  to  anything.  No  man  can  roll 
about  like  a  smooth  pebble  and  hope  to  land  into  a  mossy  hollow. 

When  a  man  starts  off  on  a  voyage  he  generally  has  some  definite 
destination  in  view,  some  object  to  be  attained  when  he  reaches  it.  No¬ 
body  can  spend  his  life  traveling  about  for  the  mere  purpose  of  keeping 

126 


THE  EOAD  TO  SUCCESS 


127 


in  motion.  There  is  no  advantage  in  this  except  to  the  transportation 
companies. 

Here  is  the  keynote  to  success — character.  We  do  not  know  what 
character  is,  we  know  only  that  it  accomplishes  results. 

Why  do  some  men  succeed  and  others  fail,  assuming  that  they  all 
start  out  on  the  same  plane  equally  well  equipped?  The  reason  why 
'  can  not  be  told,  it  lies  in  the  man  himself,  it  is  his  character. 

We  are  living  in  an  age  when  new  things  are  utilized;  new  ways 
of  doing  business  are  demanded.  We  run  to  specialties  more  than  we 
did  in  the  past.  Even  ten  years  make  a  difference  in  business  methods. 

If  you  have  aspirations,  are  they  up  to  the  times? 

Not  so  very  long  ago,  one  man  made  everything  about  a  machine. 
If  he  had  a  watch  to  make,  he  made  the  case,  the  wheels,  the  springs 
and  all  the  parts,  and  also  put  them  together  into  a  perfect  instrument. 
Now,  a  dozen  or  more  men  make,  not  the  watch,  but  each  of  the  several 
parts.  The  cases  are  machine  made  by  one  man;  another  rolls  the 
springs,  another  turns  the  screws,  another  the  wheels,  and  so  on.  Every 
thing  is  done  piecemeal,  so  to  speak,  and  none  of  the  workers  is  able 
to  make  a  perfect  watch.  So  it  is  with  clothing,  with  furniture,  tin  and 
iron  ware. 

The  doctor  is  a  specialist.  Something  ails  your  eyes — you  must  go 
to  an  eye  specialist,  the  throat  specialist  knows  nothing  about  the  eyes. 
Have  you  a  fever?  You  go  to  a  bacteriologist  to  find  out  what  germ  is 
infecting  you.  Formerly  you  took  a  dose  of  salts  and  senna,  or  other 
nauseating  drug. 

You  have  a  case  of  collection,  but  your  regular  lawyer  makes  a 
specialty  of  criminal  cases  and  can  not  help  you.  Perhaps  you  have 
been  injured  in  an  automobile  accident  and  want  damages  from  the 
owner,  but  your  regular  lawyer  does  not  know  anything  about  damage 
cases,  he  is  a  corporation  lawyer,  or  a  divorce  lawyer,  or  a  patent  at¬ 
torney,  or  takes  admiralty  cases  only. 

A  bookkeeper  applies  for  employment.  Do  you  know  anything 
about  cards?  This  is  the  question.  You  know  about  playing  cards,  but 
the  employer  keeps  his  accounts  on  loose  cards,  not  in  heavy  books. 


128 


THE  ROAD  TO  SUCCESS 


There  is  division  of  labor  in  every  pursuit,  and  no  man  can  become 
learned  in  all  of  one  thing.  He  may  acquire  a  smattering,  but  there  are 
no  more  universal  geniuses,  the  world  of  industry  has  become  compli¬ 
cated,  unlimited,  and  special. 

We  see  then,  the  futility  of  trying  all  of  one  thing  or  aspiring  to 
reach  all  of  one  thing.  You  can  not  succeed  because  you  have  a  mere 
smattering  of  many  details,  and  not  a  perfect  knowledge  of  any  single 
detail. 

This  however,  makes  the  road  to  success  much  easier  than  in  the 
old  days.  You  can  become  perfect  in  some  one  thing,  and  life  is  not  too 
short  to  learn  it;  it  can  be  mastered. 

It  goes  without  saying,  that  in  our  intercourse  with  men  we  must 
put  them  on  an  equality  with  us  and  place  ourselves  on  an  equality  with 
them.  Are  you  an  inferior  man  ?  Then  go  elsewhere  for  employment. 
“I  want  skilled  workmen,”  says  the  employer.  “I  want  a  physician 
that  will  cure  me,  not  one  to  experiment  upon  me,”  says  the  sick  man. 
It  is  always  man  to  man  now-a-days.  No  cringing,  remember,  and  on 
the  other  hand,  no  bluffing. 


I  The  Story  of  a  Rising  | 
Race  Told  in  I 


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3 


PHOTOGRAPHED  FROM  LIFE 


Special 

Collection 


MUSIC 

THE  DRAMA 
SOCIAL  LIFE 
PHYSICAL  CULTURE 


3 


3 

3 

a 


3 

a 


3 


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BELLES  OF  THE  BALL 

Basket  Ball  Team,  Normal  School,  No.  2,  Washington,  D.  C. 


FINE  SPECIMENS— PFIYSICAL  DEVELOPMENT 

Hampton  Institute  Champions  of  1912,  showing  a  strong  team  of  the  Colored  boys  and  their 

Indian  fellow  students. 


TRAINED  ATHLETES 

Tuskeg-ee  Base  Ball  Team  skilled  in  the  art  of  the  great  national  game. 


RELIGIOUS  TRAINING  AND  PHYSICAL  CULTURE 

An  evidence  of  the  remarkable  advancement  of  meml)ers  of  the  Young  Men’s  Christian 
Association  in  the  de\  elo])ment  of  mind  and  body. 


THE  “HOWARD  THEATRE,”  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

This  magnificent  theatre  is  OAvned  and  operated  by  Colored  citizens.  The  beantifnl  and  artistic 

effect  of  the  interior  is  an  inspiration. 


TALENTED  DRAMATIC  PERFORMERS 
The  performance  of  the  noted  Shakespearian  comedy  “'A  Midsummer  Night  s  Dream. 
Evidence  ofthe  dramatic  art  now  being  developed  by  the  best  talent  of  the  race. 


THE  SOCIAL  SIDE  OF  LIFE 

The  Baltimore  Assembly,  a  social  slathering  of  distinguished  Colored  citizens. 


MASTERS  OF  MELODY 


CO-EDUCATIONAL  DRILL 

The  :\Iarch  to  Dinner  on  Anniversary  Day  of  students  at  the  Hampton  Normal  and  Agricultural 
institute.  The  boys  are  lined  up  and  the  girls  march  throught  between  the  ranks. 


EDUCATIONAL  PROGRESS 


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MUSIC  HATH  CHARMS 

Glee  Club  and  Orchestra,  Tuskegee  Institute. 


training  received  at  Tuskegee  Institute. 


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PLEASURE  AND  WORK  COMBINED 


THE  MAN  OF  HOPE;  THE  MAN  OF 
DESPAIR;  AND  THE  MAN 
OF  “DON’T  CARE’ 

Optimism,  Pessimism,  Indifference 

The  people  of  the  earth  are  made  up  generally  of  three  classes:  opti¬ 
mists,  pessimists,  indifferents. 

The  radical  optimist  floats  in  a  balmy  spring  air  on  a  rosy  cloud, 
stringing  his  banjo  and  singing  lullabies  to  the  gorgeously  feathered 
songsters  that  surround  him. 

The  pessimist  is  like  a  fly  with  its  wings  stuck  on  fly  paper,  and  be¬ 
moans  his  fate  as  that  of  every  other  fly. 

The  inditferent  is  a  devil-may-care  sort  of  a  person  who  does  not 
care  whether  the  sun  shines,  or  whether  it  rains. 

The  extreme  optimist  is  too  happy  to  be  of  any  use  on  earth;  the 
pessimist  sends  us  all  to  perdition  and  is  afraid  to  walk  under  a  ladder 
lest  it  fall  on  him,  while  the  indifferent  is  of  no  use  because  he  does  not 
take  any  interest  in  the  things  around  him.  He  is  usually  a  tramp,  or 
a  free  lunch  fiend.  He  will  offer  to  shovel  the  snow  from  your  walks  in 
July,  and  gladly  offer  his  services  as  a  harvest  hand  in  January. 

Apart  from  indifference,  which  is  the  offspring  of  the  other  two, 
optimism  and  pessimism,  though  extremes,  meet  among  men,  but  pos¬ 
sess  different  working  machinery.  One  is  really  the  aid  of  the  other. 

The  earth  was  created  in  an  optimistic  spirit.  Of  that  there  can  be 
no  doubt  in  the  mind  of  any  man  who  believes  in  creation  at  all.  But 
by  the  extraordinary  conduct  of  our  first  parents  in  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
this  creation  by  the  supreme  Optimist,  was  changed  into  the  most  radi¬ 
cal  of  pessimistic  ventures — judged  from  the  human  standpoint,  of 
course.  We  hear  it  from  the  most  pious  divines  and  it  is  probably  cor¬ 
rect. 


9— E  S 


129 


130 


OPTIMISM,  PESSIMISM,  INDIFFERENCE 


A  large  gulf  was  dug  in  the  original  optimism  and  tilled  with  the 
darkness  of  pessimism,  where,  floundering  in  it,  man  looks  back  to  the 
joys  lost  to  him  forever  by  another’s  folly,  and  then  forward  to  the  for¬ 
bidding  cliffs  that  bar  his  entrance  to  the  joys  to  come,  unless  he  en¬ 
gage  in  a  mighty  struggle  and  a  hand-to-hand  conflict  with  his  animal 
nature.  He  may  and  must  scale  the  cliffs. 

It  is  quite  certain  that  the  evils  said  to  be  afflicting  the  people  of 
the  earth  can  never  be  cured  by  optimistic  fancies,  no  more  than  can 
the  racking  pains  and  galling  sores  of  the  bedridden  be  healed  by  their 
concealment,  or  by  covering  them  with  a  blanket  of  joy. 

Financially,  the  man  pressed  by  dire  want,  fancies  the  earth  is 
ready  to  come  to  an  end,  whereas,  the  man  with  substantial  wealth 
treads  in  a  garden  of  flowers.  The  pangs  of  hunger  find  a  lodging  place 
in  the  stomach  of  a  pessimist,  while  a  royal  good  dinner  is  the  joy  of  an 
optimist.  The  man  in  jail  looks  through  a  darkened  glass,  but  his  jailer 
sees  all  things  bright  and  clear. 

Optimism  is  a  comparative  virtue;  pessimism  a  relative  vice.  Love 
is  the  destroyer  of  pessimism,  while  bankruptcy  withers  optimism  at  a 
touch.  The  contest  between  the  two  is  like  a  perpetual  game  of  tenpins, 
in  which  the  pins  are  constantly  overthrown  to  be  as  constantly  re-set, 
and  the  score  of  the  game  is  always  a  tie. 

Our  modern  extreme  optimists  bewilder  us  with  vain  ideals.  They 
flatter  themselves  with  high  sounding  words  and  vague  and  dreamy  ut¬ 
terances  that  entangle  many,  but  which  mitigate  no  evils,  redress  no 
wrongs,  soothe  no  pain,  cure  no  wounds. 

“I  am  so  sorry,”  said  a  gentle  optimist  over  a  man  who  had  just 
been  run  over  by  an  automobile  and  both  legs  broken,  and  she  wrung 
her  hands  in  pity. 

“lam  sorry  five  dollars  worth,”  said  a  rough  old  heathen  pessimist 
in  the  crowd  as  he  passed  his  hat  for  money  to  relieve  the  poor  man’s 
family. 

Whenever  a  human  wrong  has  been  righted,  an  enslaved  nation 
freed,  a  sinner  brought  to  salvation,  there  has  always  been  a  pessimist 


OPTIMISM,  PESSIMISM,  INDIFFERENCE 


131 


at  the  beginning  of  the  work,  while  the  optimist  came  in  later  and  real¬ 
ized  the  profits  from  the  work. 

There  is  a  philosophy  practiced  by  the  optimist  to  be  found  in  the 
lines  of  a  great  poet: 

“One  truth  is  clear,  whatever  is  is  right.” 

A  philosophy  that  plunges  men  down  into  a  gulf  of  despair,  without 
hope  of  relief,  without  power  to  defend  himself  and  his  against  oppres¬ 
sion  and  injustice.  It  is  a  philosophy  which,  carried  to  its  ultimate 
optimistic  length,  leads  to  the  depths  in  which  are  sunk  all  those  who 
bear  upon  their  banner  the  legend: 

“Eat,  drink,  and  he  merry,  for  tomorrow  we  die.” 

There  is  less  hope  for  those  who  climb  to  dizzy  heights  of  optimistic 
congratulation,  than  for  those  plunged  in  the  dark  gulf  of  pessimistic 
woe,  for  to  the  latter  there  shall  come  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth, 
and  former  things  shall  pass  away.  But  the  former  have  forestalled 
their  future  abiding  place  by  a  creation  out  of  their  own  presumption. 

Here  we  have  it — “presumption.”  This  is  a  worse  condition  than 
the  despair  of  the  pessimist,  for  the  latter  is  constantly  striving  to  get 
out  of  the  slough  of  Despond,  whereas  the  former  is  so  puffed  up  with 
pride  at  his  own  achievements,  that  he  is  hidebound  in  the  thralls  of  his 
own  goodness  and  perfection. 

The  great  fear  of  the  extremes  of  optimism  and  pessimism  is  the 
danger  of  falling  into  indifference.  When  a  man  refuses  to  take  ad¬ 
vantage  of  the  opportunities  presented  him,  and  says:  “What’s  the 
use?”  his  life  is  ended  so  far  as  any  activity  is  concerned,  and  he  is  a 
useless  member  of  society. 

Be  neither  extreme,  and  remember  that  while  there  is  life  there  is 
hope.  The  quality  of  optimism  must  be  strained  through  the  sieve  of 


common  sense. 


THE  PLEASURES  OF  THE  FLESH,  and 
the  PLEASURES  OF  THE  MIND 


When  a  hungry  man  is  seated  before  an  appetizing  meal,  his  mouth 
waters  in  anticipation  and  he  experiences  the  joys  of  anticipated  satis¬ 
faction. 

Every  mouthful  lingers  on  his  palate  with  a  delicious  sensation  and 
when  his  hunger  is  satisfied,  a  feeling  of  intense  comfort  steals  over 
him.  He  is  at  peace  with  the  world,  and  forgives  his  enemies.  Any 
favor  you  ask,  if  within  his  power  to  grant,  will  not  be  refused. 

It  is  the  same  with  a  thirsty  man.  A  delicious  invigorating  drink 
— and  there  is  none  preferable  to  water — gurgles  down  his  parched 
throat  and  he  smacks  his  lips  with  enjoyment. 

All  these  matters  together  with  other  pleasurable  sensations  are 
purely  physical  and  passing.  They  must  be  renewed  to  be  experienced, 
and  when  the  physical  nature  is  out  of  order  or  does  not  respond,  we 
are  in  a  very  bad  condition  if  we  have  nothing  else  to  fall  back  upon. 

Physical  enjoyments  are  all  sensual.  The  nerves  thrill  with  excite¬ 
ment  and  the  world  looks  good  to  us  and  mighty  pleasant.  A  few  flies 
to  pester  us  are  mere  details  and  not  to  be  considered. 

But  we  have  another  being  separate  and  apart  from  the  physical 
body;  something  much  finer  and  more  elevated.  A  being  that  is  of  a 
higher  order  of  appreciation  and  more  enduring. 

Every  man  knows  without  being  told,  that  is,  he  knows  from  his 
own  feelings  and  sensations,  that  he  has  a  spiritual  nature,  a  mental 
body,  a  mind. 

Now,  this  mental  body,  this  mind,  is  far  above  the  physical,  and 
its  pleasures  and  sensations,  and  its  delights  are  as  far  above  the  physi¬ 
cal  sensations  as  the  spirit  or  mind  is  above  the  flesh. 

132 


THE  PLEASURE  OF  THE  FLESH 


133 


Let  us  follow  up  this  idea: 

We  said  that  a  hungry  man  enjoys  eating.  This  is  true,  but  all 
hungry  men  do  not  eat  alike.  Some  men  bolt  their  food  to  appease 
hunger,  and  swill  their  drink  to  quench  thirst.  But  others  enjoy  their 
food  and  while  satisfying  hunger  and  thirst,  gratify  their  taste  and  en¬ 
joy  certain  foods  more  than  others.  These  others  have  what  is  called 
“educated”  appetites,  which  is  a  mental  acquisition  above  the  purely 
animal  sensation  of  satisfying  hunger  or  thirst.  It  is  an  art  to  be  culti¬ 
vated. 

This  is  the  point  sought  to  be  reached — education  and  learning. 

If  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh  are  so  enjoyable,  then  the  pleasures  of 
the  mind  are  still  more  enjoyable,  because  the  mind  is  more  appreci¬ 
ative  besides  more  enduring. 

The  food  of  the  mind,  the  drink  of  the  mind,  means  all  the  other 
pleasures  of  the  flesh  resolved  into  the  spiritual  body  through  educa¬ 
tion  and  learning,  and  the  more  education,  the  more  learning,  the  higher 
the  enjoyment. 

A  great  lawyer  once  said:  “The  pleasure  of  learning  may  be  lik¬ 
ened  to  a  bucket  in  a  deep  well  of  clear,  cool  water.  It  is  easy  to  move 
the  bucket  about  if  it  is  kept  beneath  the  water,  but  when  we  attempt 
to  raise  it  above  the  surface,  then  comes  a  tug  and  a  hard  pull.” 
Whence  he  derived  the  conclusion  that  the  deeper  we  plunge  into  the 
clear,  cool  depths  of  education  and  learning  the  more  pleasure  there  is 
and  the  easier  it  is  to  remain  there. 

One  of  our  poets  says: 

“Drink  deep  or  taste  not  the  Pierian  spring.” 

In  these  modern  days  every  man  must  have  some  sort  of  an  educa¬ 
tion,  preferably  that  for  the  occupation  or  profession  which  he  selects 
for  his  life  work. 

If  he  goes  in  for  a  commercial  business,  then  he  must  learn  all  about 
the  rules  and  laws  governing  his  business  or  the  branch  of  it  he  aspires 
to  learn.  He  must  know  all  about  the  nature  of  the  goods  he  purposes 
to  sell;  the  markets;  the  prices;  the  demand;  the  production;  the  con¬ 
sumption,  and  other  matters  connected  with  the  business. 


134 


THE  PLEASURE  OF  THE  FLESH 


If  he  does  not  learn  these  things  he  will  fail  in  business,  and  if  he 
does  not  learn  some  of  them  he  can  not  get  a  job  in  any  business  house. 

The  rule  is  the  same  in  every  trade  and  profession.  The  modern 
man  is  exacting.  He  demands  the  best  service,  because  his  customers 
or  clients  demand  better  goods,  better  qualities,  and  better  treatment. 

The  time  has  gone  by  when  a  tradesman,  for  instance,  could  offer 
goods  to  his  customer  with  a  “take  it  or  leave  it”  air.  Competition  is 
too  keen  to  permit  that,  and  prices  are  too  liable  to  be  cut  to  enable  him 
to  say,  “That’s  my  price,”  for  there  are  others  who  will  say,  “I  will 
knock  off  ten  per  cent.  ’  ’ 

An  education  that  does  not  fit  in  with  a  man’s  occupation  is  a  re¬ 
laxation,  and  aids  him  to  rise  in  his  business  and  profession,  so  that 
nothing  is  lost  by  keeping  up  with  the  times,  but  there  is  everything  to 
be  gained.  This  is  refinement  and  a  valuable  asset.  Everything  that 
can  be  learned  is  worth  something  sometime. 

How  to  tell  a  fresh  egg  from  a  stale  one  is  a  matter  of  education, 
but  to  give  the  reason  why  a  stale  egg  is  not  so  good  as  a  fresh  one  is 
a  matter  of  learning. 

You  can  distinguish  one  man  from  another  by  his  facial  differences! 
That  is  education,  but  when  you  can  tell  a  good  man  from  a  bad  one 
by  a  study  of  his  characteristics,  that  is  learning. 

To  learn  how  to  do  things  is  education,  but  to  learn  the  nature  of 
the  things  you  make  or  the  reasons  why  involves  learning. 

The  housewife  in  making  bread  sets  the  loaves  of  dough  in  a  warm 
place  so  that  they  will  rise.  This  is  education,  and  her  education  tells 
her  that  if  she  puts  the  dough  in  a  cold  place  the  bread  will  not  rise. 
If  she  knew  that  the  yeast  plant  requires  heat  to  grow,  and  is  easily 
killed  by  cold,  she  is  learned. 

If  you  eat  a  cucumber  or  any  green  fruit  in  the  hot  summer  time 
you  are  liable  to  get  the  colic.  You  are  educated  up  to  that  by  experi¬ 
ence,  perhaps.  But  if  you  know  that  nature  always  gives  you  a  pain 
when  you  eat  something  indigestible,  as  a  warning  to  get  rid  of  it,  or 
not  to  do  so  any  more,  you  will  be  learned  indeed,  if  you  take  a  cathartic 
instead  of  a  pain  killer  to  stop  the  pain  or  warning  nature  gives  you. 


THE  PLEASURE  OF  THE  FLESH 


135 


We  can  not  live  among  our  fellow  men  without  an  education  of 
some  kind,  adaptable 

First — to  our  life  work  whatever  it  may  be. 

Second— suitable  and  proper  to  the  people  with  whom  we  associate 
or  are  placed  in  contact  in  our  daily  round  of  business  and  pleasure. 

We  can  live  and  get  along  through  life  without  any  learning,  but 
learning  adds  to  education  and  enables  us  to  apply  what  we  learn.  Be¬ 
sides  that,  it  puts  us  in  a  position  to  rise  higher,  the  more  learned  we 
become. 

It  is  not  intended,  by  these  remarks,  to  advise  any  one  to  learn 
everything  there  is  to  be  learned,  for  the  very  good  reason  there  are 
too  many  things  in  these  modern  times  for  one  man’s  brain  to  hold. 
But  it  may  be  taken  as  a  truth,  that  a  man  should  be  learned  along  the 
line  of  his  trade,  business,  or  profession,  with  a  few  enjoyments  for  good 
measure. 

It  is  easy  to  learn,  in  fact  one  thing  brings  another.  Like  some 
food  we  eat — one  mouthful  makes  us  hungry  for  another.  Our  modern 
system  is  so  linked  and  connected  together,  that  every  thing  that  may 
or  can  be  learned  is  a  link  in  the  great  entire  chain.  You  begin  pulling 
at  the  educational  chain  and  find  that  you  can  not  stop.  You  feel  im¬ 
pelled  to  keep  on  taking  up  link  after  link,  until  before  you  are  aware 
of  it,  you  have  mastered  some  definite  branch  of  learning  through  the 
force  of  education. 

One  thing  to  be  noted  is,  what  one  man  knows  another  man  can 
find  out.  The  only  way,  therefore,  is  to  keep  ahead  of  him  and  learn 
things  he  can  not  find  out,  or  will  not  find  out  until  too  long  afterward 
to  be  of  any  disadvantage  to  you. 


THE  SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST 


The  Lews  of  Nature  Determine  Who 
Shall  Live,  and  Who  Shall  Die 


The  theory  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest  is  agitating  the  world  more 
than  ever  before.  But  it  has  changed  its  significant  title  to  what  is 
known  now  as  “Eugenics,”  which  means  substantially  “well  born,”  or 
good  birth. 

Briefly  speaking,  it  is  claimed  that  it  is  a  law  of  nature  that  the 
weakest  shall  go  to  the  wall,  and  that  the  strongest  shall  survive.  In 
carrying  out  this  doctrine,  the  ancient  nations,  Sparta,  for  example,  put 
to  death  all  the  weak  and  decrepit  children,  permitting  only  the  strong 
and  well-shaped  physically  to  live. 

In  our  day,  the  scientists,  or  rather  those  who  claim  to  be  scientific, 
advocate  the  same  practice  in  a  different  but  equally  as  effective  a  man¬ 
ner. 

The  doctrine  of  “selection,”  as  it  is  termed,  has  been  invented  to 
cover  up  the  Spartan  tragedy  of  murdering  the  helpless,  and  by  it,  it  is 
hoped  our  admitted  degeneracy  will  be  stopped. 

I  do  not  apply  the  term  “degeneracy”  to  the  Colored  people,  be¬ 
cause  degeneracy  works  back  to  a  type  and  not  away  from  it  in  the 
human  family.  The  average  Colored  American  is  too  near  the  pure 
type  of  his  race  to  be  in  a  very  deep  degeneracy,  but  the  word  must  be 
applied  to  the  mixed  races  of  the  Aryan,  Caucasian,  of  whom  it  would 
be  vain  to  find  a  pure  type  except  among  the  Georgians  of  Asia. 

In  explaining  the  doctrine  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  or  eugenics, 
to  give  it  its  modern  name,  it  is  said  that  those  who  fail  in  life,  fail  be¬ 
cause  they  are  not  fitted  to  succeed,  that  is  they  are  not  “fit.”  This  is 
called  a  law  of  nature.  It  is  purposed  to  overcome  this  law  of  nature, 

136 


THE  SUEVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST 


137 


by  selecting  the  parents  by  a  medical  examination  or  other  process,  and 
confine  parentage  to  them  exclusively. 

In  other  words,  to  prevent  humanity  from  becoming  any  worse  than 
it  is,  the  people  who  are  to  marry  and  bear  children  shall  be  of  the 
very  best  and  highest  type,  and  then  their  children  will  be  finely  de¬ 
veloped  and  make  perfect  citizens  and  become  parents  to  other  children. 

But  where  shall  we  begin  and  what  is  the  type  aimed  to  reach  as 
the  standard  ?  It  is  important  to  the  Colored  man  to  know  the  mean- 
ing  of  this  movement  to  better  the  race,  and  also  to  discover  .what  race 
is  to  be  the  standard  of  excellence. 

An  effort  will  be  made  to  explain  as  clearly  as  possible. 

Who  are  the  strongest  that  shall  be  permitted  to  survive,  and  who 
are  the  weakest  whose  death  knell  is  sounded? 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  in  the  outset,  that  all  this  controversy  is 
among  the  Caucasian,  or  as  it  is  called  in  other  places  of  this  book,  the 
“Aryan”  race,  or  division  of  the  human  family.  It  has  not  yet  reached 
the  Colored  race,  nor  has  it  been  applied  to  them  particularly.  Hence, 
let  the  Colored  man  stand  outside  and  look  on  with  interest,  and  also 
watch  that  the  theory  does  not  spread  to  his  race. 

A  man  who  lives  in  the  slums  is  unfit  to  live  anywhere  else,  so  it  is 
said.  A  man  who  has  made  a  million  by  a  turn  in  the  stock  market, 
lives  in  a  palace,  but  can  only  write  his  name  to  a  check,  and  can  not 
tell  a  spade  from  a  rake.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan  possessed  boundless 
wealth  and  tremendous  power  in  the  financial  world.  Walt  Whitman, 
the  humane  poet,  had  a  small  competence  and  no  power  at  all  except 
to  touch  the  hearts  of  mankind.  Burns  was  a  plowman;  Bunyan  a 
tinker;  a  writer  of  slang  and  jokesmith,  makes  a  million;  Brigham 
Young  was  a  prophet  and  a  ruler,  wealthy  and  honored;  Stevenson  was 
in  the  last  stages  of  tuberculosis;  Byron  was  a  cripple;  Johnson  was  a 
glutton,  and  the  composer  of  a  silly  ragtime  waltz  owns  an  automobile 
and  keeps  a  valet  and  a  chauffeur. 

Which  of  these  shall  we  select  as  the  type,  and  how  are  we  going  to 
tell  whether  the  offspring  of  our  selections  will  come  up  to  the  type? 

Modern  medical  scientists  declare  in  the  most  positive  terms,  that 


138 


THE  SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST 


every  child  is  born  free  from  infectious  diseases,  and  at  the  moment  of 
its  birth  is  a  perfect  type.  That  the  first  breath  it  draws  fills  it  with  the 
germs  of  future  diseases  that  tend  to  make  it  a  weak  and  diseased  abor¬ 
tion  of  humanity.  All  its  troubles  come  from  its  surroundings  or  en¬ 
vironments,  which  are  the  conditions  it  must  meet  and  with  which  it 
must  struggle  to  live  at  all. 

It  may  avoid  future  disease  from  the  infecting  germs  it  breathes 
at  the  moment  of  birth,  by  making  its  environments  better,  purer  and 
altering  the  bad  conditions  under  which  it  lives. 

We  know,  because  we  can  see  it  every  day,  that  of  two  plants  or 
animals,  that  one  will  survive  which  is  the  fittest  to  endure  the  condi¬ 
tions  in  which  both  exist.  He,  the  man,  or  it,  the  plant,  can  be  atforded 
opportunities  in  the  way  of  good  food,  care,  and  proper  training,  to 
resist  the  encroachments  of  disease  and  degenerate  conditions. 

Hence,  we  may  say,  that  the  question  of  which  man  shall  survive, 
depends  upon  the  conditions  under  which  he  shall  struggle  for  survival. 

There  is  no  law  of  nature  here,  it  is  the  law  of  common  sense  and 
good  government.  We  are  surrounded  by  conditions  best  suited  for 
strength  and  survival,  and  the  conditions  which  promote  weakness,  dis¬ 
ease  and  degeneracy  are  removed  or  beyond  our  reach. 

In  a  nation  of  marauders  or  robbers,  those  who  live  by  spoliation 
and  the  sword,  would  be  the  fittest  to  survive,  and  they  would  be  a  dif¬ 
ferent  type  of  men  from  those  who  get  first  place  in  a  nation  of  traders, 
where  fierceness  and  strength  are  less  called  for  than  tenacity  of  pur¬ 
pose  and  clearness  of  head. 

When  a  man  says  he  is  poor,  somebody  says,  that  man  is  poor  be¬ 
cause  he  is  not  fitted  to  gain  wealth.  But  we  say,  he  is  not  fitted  to  gain 
wealth  under  the  conditions  of  his  life.  Take  him  out  of  those  condi¬ 
tions,  put  opportunities  in  his  way  and  he  becomes  “fit”  because  he 
gains  wealth.  It  is  done  every  day. 

One  condition  of  society  enables  one  kind  of  a  man  to  succeed,  an¬ 
other  condition  of  society  enables  another  kind  of  man  to  succeed.  And 
so  on  all  along  the  long  line  of  different  conditions. 

The  great  mistake  made  by  many  so-called  scientific  purifiers  of  the. 


THE  SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST 


139 


human  race,  is  in  not  being  able  to  separate  man  with  reason  from  ani¬ 
mals  or  beasts  without  reasoning  powers.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  in¬ 
tellectual  progress  and  the  betterment  of  the  reasoning  faculties,  but  so 
long  as  we  limit  survivorship  to  the  physical  and  not  to  the  mental 
powers,  we  are  betraying  man  into  degeneracy  instead  of  helping  him 
out  of  it. 

There  is  one  great  teacher  whose  lessons  are  to  be  learned  and 
deeply  pondered.  They  lead  to  an  uplift  that  no  money,  and  no  medical 
examination,  or  selection,  can  possibly  attain.  He  was  poor  and  for¬ 
saken;  rejected  by  his  own,  but  he  was  and  is  the  type  to  be  attained. 
In  establishing  the  highest  type  possible  to  man  with  reasoning  powers, 
he  ran  counter  to  the  doctrine  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest  as  men  saw 
it  in  his  day,  so  they  crucified  Him  but  too  late  to  efface  the  type  which 
we  must  follow  or  fall  into  degeneracy. 


THE  VICTORY  OF  THE  MAN 
WHO  DARES 


This  is  the  Era  of  the  man  who  dares. 

His  opportunity  has  blossomed  out  of  conditions  unparalleled  in  the 
history  of  nations. 

Too  many  have  been  plodding  along  in  a  furrow  afraid  to  come  out 
of  the  rut.  They  have  lived,  it  is  true,  but  they  have  not  touched  suc¬ 
cess.  All  animals  live,  but  man  has  higher  motives  than  mere  existence. 

Enterprise,  business,  commerce,  capital,  government  demand  a  man 
who  dares.  Many  leaders  have  fallen  beneath  the  spell  of  malignant 
influence,  and  have  dragged  down  into  the  pit  with  them,  respect,  hon¬ 
or,  confldence,  and  honesty. 

An  army  of  men  who  dare  is  needed  to  drag  up  out  of  the  pit  and 
into  our  every  day  lives,  the  respect,  honor,  confidence,  and  honesty, 
groveling  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom,  and  the  nationality,  color,  or  race 
makes  no  difference,  they  are  needed  among  all  classes. 

The  eyes  of  the  world  are  turned  toward  the  inscription,  “I  will,’’ 
on  the  banner  of  the  man  who  dares,  as  he  hurdles  across  all  obstacles 
and  brings  back  to  its  pedestal,  virtue,  that  has  been  dragged  away 
into  disreputable  haunts. 

His  is  the  initiative;  to  him  belong  the  rewards  of  efficiency. 

The  man  who  dares  to  venture  out  into  new  and  undeveloped  fields 
fills  the  pages  of  history;  his  name  is  blazoned  in  heavy  head-lines  on 
the  front  page  of  every  newspaper  and  magazine.  He  does  not  have  to 
seek  after  fame,  he  is  sought. 

The  man  who  dares  is  no  rash,  reckless  fool  who  rushes  in  where 
angels  fear  to  tread. 

“I  dare  do  all  that  may  become  a  man; 

Who  dares  do  more  is  none.” 

140 


THE  MAN  WHO  BARES 


141 


He  lets  '‘I  dare”  follow  upon  “I  will,”  and  plunges  into  the  tide 
of  the  affairs  of  men,  and  at  its  flood,  is  led  on  to  victory. 

He  is  brave  and  courageous  with  regard  to  men,  but  is  a  coward 
with  regard  to  God,  wherefore  he  fears  to  worship  the  Golden  Calf;  to 
swear,  to  steal,  or  cheat,  or  swindle;  to  degrade  his  neighbor’s  wife;  to 
covet  his  neighbor’s  property. 

Why  do  you  fail  to  reach  success?  Why  do  you  lag  behind  in  a 
world  so  stuffed  with  opportunities  and  possibilities? 

Watch  the  man  who  dares. 

He  has  no  hand  held  out  behind  for  bribes,  nor  before  for  alms. 
He  reaches  out  and  takes,  and  those  from  whom  he  takes  are  loud  in 
their  praise  of  him,  because  he  represents  a  force  they  would  fain  exer¬ 
cise  but  dare  not. 

The  power  that  impels  him  is  dynamic.  It  grows  out  of  an  inertia 
charged  with  the  vibration  of  living  eternal  forces — a  training  that  fits 
him  to  propel  himself  into  chaos  and  evolve  order  and  profit — out  of 
an  education  that  shows  him  how — out  of  a  system  that  changes  to  suit 
altered  conditions — out  of  the  same  mighty  impulses  that  have  fash¬ 
ioned  the  conquerors  of  armies,  or  nations,  leaders  of  men,  the  world’s 
financiers,  the  masters  of  commerce,  the  uplifters,  governors  and  kings 
of  men. 

LIFE  AND  ALL  IT  IMPLIES,  ALL  ITS  INCIDENTS, 
HAPPINESS,  RENOWN,  COMPENSATIONS,  ARE  IN  THE 
TRAIN  OF  THE  MAN  WHO  DARES.  HE  MAY  EVEN 
SCALE  THE  WALLS  OF  PARADISE  TO  GAIN  A  CROWN 
OF  ETERNAL  GLORY. 

Life  and  all  it  implies  are  in  the  train  of  the  man  who  dares. 

Stirred  by  his  energy,  every  one  of  the  billions  of  living  principles  of 
life  that  form  his  body,  is  an  individual  acting  in  unison  to  maintain 
his  physical  balance,  and  to  free  his  brain  from  the  clouds  and  vapors 
of  an  infected  atmosphere.  He  is  made  immune  to  the  attacks  of  pesti¬ 
lences,  and  follows  the  universal  law  of  ceaseless  activity  that  keeps 
the  earth,  the  sun  and  the  millions  of  suns  and  planets  in  the  firmament 
in  their  proper  places.  Death,  disease,  infection,  poverty,  disgrace  are 


142 


THE  MAN  WHO  DAEES 


nothmg  to  the  man  who  dares,  he  rises  above  and  beyond  their  reach. 
He  builds  his  castle  with  hope  and  cements  its  walls  with  imperishable 
faith  in  his  own  powers,  and  anchors  it  with  good  works.  He  says:  “I 
will  not  die  until  I  have  won,  ’  ’  and  he  dares  to  cast  his  hopes  into  one 
throw  of  the  dice — and  wins,  and  in  the  winning  lives.  What  is  life 
to  a  clod?  To  a  blind  mole?  To  a  man  Avho  never  lifts  his  eyes  to  the 
gleaming  stars,  or  raises  them  beyond  the  brittle  straws  that  clog  his 
feet?  To  the  man  who  dares,  life  is  a  tumult  of  happiness,  of  radiant 
love,  of  a  joyous  household,  a  fortress  of  friends.  His  hair  turns  gray, 
his  limbs  grow  weak,  and  his  eyes  are  dim,  but  around  his  bedside  hover 
the  deeds  he  has  done,  his  nostrils  snutf  in  the  incense  of  his  successes, 
and  he  dies  content  that  he  will  still  live  in  the  posterity  that  he  has 
dared  raise  up  to  follow  in  his  footsteps. 

Life  and  all  incidents  are  in  the  train  of  the  man  who  dares. 

In  the  great  center  of  life,  with  its  circumference  everywhere  and 
nowhere,  the  incidents  of  life  are  few  and  mere  matters  of  routine.  But 
they  must  be  gained,  and  can  not  be  gained  except  by  the  man  who 
dares.  Beginning  with  nothing  but  his  muscles,  courage,  and  high 
hopes,  the  boy  who  dares  forces  his  way  through  rain  and  storm,  sun¬ 
shine  and  shadow;  quatfs  to  the  dregs  the  cup  of  disappointment  and 
refills  it  with  determination.  Prom  the  lowest  rung  of  the  social  or 
business  ladder,  he  mounts  upward  rung  by  rung^  gaining  here  and 
there  a  fresh  supply  of  energy,  until  bursting  forth  from  a  chrysalis  of 
helplessness  into  an  initiative,  he  assumes  first  place  and  dares  still 
more  to  reach  after  the  mastery.  He  dares  the  professions  and  becomes 
a  statesman  or  a  scientist  influenced  by  a  desire  to  benefit  his  fellow- 
men.  In  the  mercantile,  manufacturing,  and  commercial  world,  his 
name  is  a  synonym  of  honesty  and  probity,  fair  dealing,  justice  and  im¬ 
partiality.  The  hands  and  mouths  of  his  less  daring  fellowmen  never 
depart  empty.  The  train  of  evils  that  follow  humanity,  he  knows  are 
mere  incidents  in  life  and  he  does  what  he  can  and  may  to  alleviate 
them,  and  in  their  alleviation  he  finds  comfort  and  joy.  “Do  unto  oth¬ 
ers  as  ye  would  that  others  do  unto  you,”  is  the  absorbing  incident  of 
life,  the  concentration,  amalgamation  of  all  other  incidents,  “This  do 
and  thou  shalt  live.” 


THE  MAN  WHO  DARES 


143 


Happiness  is  in  the  train  of  the  man  who  dares.  “As  aiTows  are  in 
the  hand  of  a  mighty  man ;  so  are  children  of  the  youth.  Happy  is  the 
man  who  hath  his  quiver  full  of  them:  they  shall  not  be  ashamed,  but 
they  shall  speak  with  the  enemies  in  the  gate.”  The  man  who  dares 
fill  this  quiver  with  arrows  needs  no  other  happiness.  All  other  kinds, 
varieties,  and  species  of  happiness  follow  in  its  train.  Most  of  our  hap¬ 
piness  is  “so-called,”  that  is  we  think  it  is  happiness,  but  it  becomes 
bitter  after  a  while  and  then  sours.  True  happiness  never  ferments, 
never  corrupts.  The  man  who  dares  would  not  dare  take  a  course  in 
the  school  of  dissipation,  he  is  too  much  of  a  man  and  has  the  courage 
of  his  convictions.  There  are  certain  things  every  man  must  do  to  be 
happy,  and  the  man  who  dares  does  them.  He  must  dare  to  do  right, 
to  keep  away  from  bad  company,  to  avoid  the  ungodly,  and  the  devil 
and  all  his  works  are  rendered  innocuous  by  his  daring  to  discounten¬ 
ance  them. 

Renown  is  in  the  train  of  the  man  who  dares.  To  be  in  every  man’s 
mouth,  as  Caesar,  Napoleon,  Washington,  is  what  many  claim  to  be  re¬ 
nown.  But  the  word  means  far  more.  It  means  honor,  glory,  and  peace, 
and  these  go  “to  every  man  that  worketh  good. ’ ’  Every  act  of  the  man 
who  dares  is  an  achievement  of  greater  or  less  degree,  and  althoqgh  he 
may  not  have  an  exalted  reputation  to  the  great  outer  world,  he  is  en¬ 
shrined  in  the  hearts  of  his  friends  and  acqiiaintances.  The  man  who 
dares  shines  bright  in  the  firmament  of  teachers  who  have  made  good 
by  exalting  others.  He  leads  where  others  may  follow  and  succeed,  and 
as  a  guide,  teacher  and  example,  his  renown  is  not  limited  to  an  im¬ 
mediate  circle  of  people  astonished  at  his  daring,  but  accumulates  force 
as  time  passes,  and  soon  becomes  a  rule  of  conduct,  a  precedent  to  be 
followed  as  rigidly  as  a  mathematical  proposition  in  Euclid.  Most  men 
are  content  with  what  they  have  and  never  go  beyond  their  own  posses¬ 
sions  and  desires.  They  have  grown  rich,  and  then  it  is  “Let  us  eat, 
drink  and  be  merry  for  tomorrow  we  die.”  This  is  the  fool’s  theory, 
but  it  is  not  that  of  the  man  who  dares,  because  he  wanders  off  into  new 
fields  of  operation,  attempts  new  cultures,  adds  something  to  the  phases 
of  life,  and  as  such,  becomes  renowned,  whether  he  has  a  high  sounding 


144 


THE  MAN  WHO  DARES 


epitaph  on  his  tombstone  or  not.  People  do  not  go  to  cemeteries  to  seek 
for  souvenirs  of  the  man  who  dares,  his  life  and  deeds  are  impressed 
upon  the  plastic  material  of  every  brain  within  reach  of  his  influence. 
There  he  is  enshrined ;  there  he  possesses  the  renown  he  dared  seek,  and, 
as  in  his  other  deeds  of  daring,  he  succeeds. 

Compensations  are  in  the  train  of  the  man  who  dares.  Compensa¬ 
tion  is  a  higher,  nobler  word  than  wealth,  riches,  money,  or  jewels. 
Money  is  a  good  thing  to  possess,  and  wealth  is  not  to  be  despised,  but 
the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil.  Have  you  never  noticed  that 
the  harder  a  man  strives  to  get  money  the  farther  he  gets  away  from 
it?  This  is  in  pursuance  of  a  law  of  nature,  that  in  striving  too  hard  to 
acquire  anything,  we  omit  some  essential  that  if  remembered  would 
bring  it  to  us.  There  are  certain  things  that  if  we  dare  do  them,  other 
things  will  unexpectedly  come  to  us  in  the  way  of  compensation. 

Money,  wealth,  riches,  etc.,  are  a  recompense,  a  remuneration,  of 
course,  but  of  themselves  they  are  mere  wages  for  labor  performed.  But 
when  we  speak  of  “compensation,”  we  allude  to  something  of  greater 
value  than  mere  dollars  and  cents  which  procure  bread  and  meat, 
clothes,  a  roof  for  our  heads,  and  certain  pleasures.  But  a  hog  has  all 
of  these  in  his  own  way  and  to  his  own  satisfaction;  but  the  man  who 
dares  does  not  belong  to  that  branch  of  the  animal  kingdom.  He  is  a 
man  and  claims  a  man’s  compensation,  or  so  acts  that  the  desired  com¬ 
pensation  will  be  forthcoming.  Think  of  the  words  of  Othello  and  pon¬ 
der  a  little  over  their  meaning: 

“Good  name  in  man  and  woman,  dear  my  lord. 

Is  the  immediate  jewel  of  their  souls. 

Who  steals  my  purse,  steals  trash;  Tis  something,  nothing; 

’Twas  mine,  ’tis  his,  and  has  been  slave  to  thousands; 

But  he  that  filches  from  me  my  good  name 
Robs  me  of  that  which  not  enriches  him. 

And  makes  me  poor  indeed.” 

In  the  great  game  of  grab  after  money,  which  is  enthralling  the 
earth  at  the  present  time,  the  man  who  dares  takes  no  part  except  to 
see  that  his  compensation  is  adequate  to  his  efficiency.  His  abnegation 


THE  MAN  WHO  DARES 


145 


of  the  canker  worm  of  gold  is  a  strong  recommendation  in  his  favor, 
and  brings  him  much  more  than  it  does  to  one  who  bites  every  dollar 
to  test  its  genuineness.  He  becomes  renowned  for  this  disposition,  and 
nobody  turns  him  down  on  any  proposition  for  everybody  knows  that 
his  disposition  is  to  dare,  to  venture,  to  try,  to  win,  to  succeed.  It  is 
the  best  sort  of  renown  to  possess;  it  is  a  policy,  really  a  dare. 

He  knows  that  everything  comes  to  him  who  knows  how  to  wait, 
and  he  plays  the  waiting  game  in  a  diplomatic  manner,  so  diplomatic, 
indeed,  that  he  wins. 

The  man  who  dares  may  scale  the  walls  of  Paradise  to  gain  a  crown 
of  eternal  glory.  Nobody  can  slide  through  St.  Peter’s  gate  unobserved. 
It  requires  a  constant  fight  to  reach  it  even,  and  blessed  is  he  who  gets 
that  far,  for  he  is  sure  to  enter.  We  have  it  from  the  Saviour  Himself: 
“And  from  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist  until  now  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by  force.” 

There  is  authority,  therefore,  for  saying  that  the  man  who  dares 
may  scale  the  walls  of  Paradise.  The  fact  is,  that  a  mollycoddle  can¬ 
not  be  connected  with  the  idea  of  taking  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by 
force.  It  requires  a  man  who  dares  to  accomplish  that  feat,  and  it  is 
the  man  who  dares  that  gets  there. 

Let  us  suppose  that  you  are  a  timid  man  and  have  little  initiative — 
that  is  you  are  a  follower  of  somebody  and  can  not  lead  in  anything. 
You  must  raise  some  steam  and  get  a  move  on  or  you  will  never  suc¬ 
ceed.  That  is  a  settled  fact,  and  if  you  to  whom  this  is  addressed,  can 
not  raise  enough  steam  to  start  out  on  a  dare,  why  then,  fall  out  and  let 
somebody  else  take  your  place  in  the  waiting  line. 

Suppose  you  wanted  to  make  a  stagger  at  a  dare,  how  would  you 
go  about  it?  That’s  about  the  idea  you  are  after.  Well,  in  the  first 
place,  you  must  make  ready.  You  can  not  ride  without  a  horse,  and 
even  if  you  have  a  horse,  he  is  no  good  to  you  unless  you  know  how  to 
ride.  To  learn  to  ride,  you  must  get  on  the  horse,  of  course,  and  take 
your  chances  of  being  thrown  or  of  falling  off  through  sheer  fright. 

That  is  nothing.  A  few  bruises  are  honorable  scars  in  the  onward 
struggle.  Let  us  start  you  our  way; 

10— L  S 


146 


THE  MAN  WHO  DARES 


Fix  your  mind  on  what  you  aim  at  and  never  lose  sight  of  it.  It  is 
your  target. 

Fix  a  straight  road  toward  it.  This  will  enable  you  to  get  there 
sooner,  and  if  there  are  competitors,  you  will  out-distance  them. 

Make  a  start.  You  may  not  be  entirely  ready  and  may  have  to  stop 
on  the  way  for  repairs,  but  all  the  same — start.  Some  people  are  always 
making  ready  and  never  starting,  so  they  never  get  anywhere  because 
they  never  start.  It  is  better  to  start,  even  if  you  have  to  return  and 
begin  over  again.  It  shows  your  intention  to  win  out,  and  that  will  en¬ 
courage  your  backers,  or  find  backers  if  you  have  none. 

Don’t  wander.  Keep  on  the  straight  road,  and  don’t  let  counter  at¬ 
tractions  tempt  you  away.  Keep  thinking  about  what  you  are  going  to 
do  when  you  arrive,  and  build  up  a  strong  castle. 

Let  tomorrow’s  troubles  take  care  of  themselves.  The  saying  is: 
‘  ‘  Sufficient  for  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof.  ’  ’  Fight  the  troubles  that  you 
have  in  hand  now,  and  you  will  gain  skill  to  fight  those  of  tomorrow. 

Attend  to  your  own  business  and  let  other  people’s  alone.  You 
can’t  take  care  of  your  own  business  and  that  of  another  at  the  same 
time.  To  do  that  a  man  must  sit  on  two  stools  at  once.  A  difficult  thing 
to  do  and  not  fall  between.  Try  this  as  an  experiment. 

Keep  your  nerve,  and  your  eyes  in  front.  There  are  always  times 
when  a  man  meets  some  obstacle  that  spells  failure  if  he  lets  it.  Don’t 
let  failure  appear  in  any  shape.  Cut  the  word  out  of  your  dictionary. 

Make  haste  slowly.  This  is  an  old  saying  of  the  Romans  who  knew 
a  few  things  about  success.  Hurry,  but  hurry  slowly.  That  is,  be  care¬ 
ful  in  getting  everything  ready  and  then  make  a  break  for  the  target. 
A  man  can  act  quickly  and  methodically,  which  is  making  haste  slowly. 

Take  plenty  of  physical  exercise.  You  do  not  have  to  go  to  a  gym¬ 
nasium  to  get  enough  exercise.  Take  a  walk  for  the  sake  of  walking. 
You  can  not  make  exercise  work  and  derive  any  benefit  from  it.  You 
must  take  pleasure  in  it  or  it  is  work  and  not  exercise. 

Do  not  work  ahead.  Keep  your  mind  up  with  your  work.  Do  not 
think  about  the  hours  it  will  take  to  complete  it.  If  you  do  that,  you 


THE  MAN  WHO  DARES 


147 


will  tire  out  your  mind  and  make  it  do  extra  work.  Mind  and  body 
should  keep  together. 

Dare  to  aspire  to  a  higher  position.  Study  to  get  it.  Talk  with 
others  who  have  risen  and  find  out  how  they  got  there.  Don’t  copy 
them,  but  try  to  initiate  some  better  way.  If  you  are  sawing  boards, 
study  how  to  run  the  engine,  and  incidentally  learn  how  to  manage  the 
whole  business.  It  can  not  harm  a  man  doing  a  small  work  to  know 
how  to  do  a  greater  one.  He  will  be  ready  to  slip  into  the  better  work 
when  the  opportunity  comes  and  it  is  sure  to  come. 

Do  not  run  behind  in  your  work.  This  a  a  fatal  deficiency.  It 
means  a  backward  movement  and  you  must  keep  on  pressing  forward. 
If  you  feel  yourself  going  back,  study  the  reason.  Perhaps  you  are 
bilious,  eating  too  much,  or  not  enough  nourishing  food.  Keep  your 
body  working  regularly,  for  your  health  is  the  most  important  item 
toward  success. 

Save  your  money.  But  do  not  become  a  miser.  You  must  live 
among  others  and  you  can  not  afford  to  be  considered  small  or  mean. 
But  you  do  not  have  to  squander  money  for  any  reason.  If  you  are  con¬ 
sidered  mean  because  you  refuse  to  squander  money,  let  it  go  at  that, 
and  some  day  you  will  be  better  understood.  Such  things  are  small  de¬ 
tails  not  worth  noticing. 

Keep  in  touch  with  the  outside  world.  Read  newspapers  and  maga¬ 
zines  and  learn  to  discuss  or  talk  over  the  various  topics  of  the  day, 
whether  you  understand  them  or  not.  Somebody  will  give  you  the  key¬ 
note  and  then  you  will  add  to  your  stock  of  knowledge.  You  can  not 
learn  too  much,  you  may  fail  by  not  knowing  enough.  Please  remember 
this,  no  man  is  turned  down  because  he  knows  too  much. 

Learn  to  master  yourself.  Don’t  let  anything  ruffle  your  temper, 
and  think  seriously  before  starting  a  fight.  You  may  win  the  fight  but 
lose  your  own  self-respect  and  gain  enmity.  A  man  can  not  afford  to 
throw  away  a  friend.  He  needs  all  he  can  get. 

Don’t  be  afraid  to  work.  Take  work  as  it  comes  to  you.  Do  not 
select  the  easiest  jobs,  or  you  will  get  tired  of  the  hard  ones  before  you 


148 


THE  MAN  WHO  DARES 


reach  them.  Accustom  yourself  to  work  easily,  and  with  your  whole 
heart  and  skill. 

Give  your  imagination  full  swing  as  to  the  uses  of  the  work  you  are 
doing,  and  imagine  how  you  could  better  it.  This  is  efficiency  and  leads 
to  invention. 

Don’t  brag  about  what  you  can  do.  Do  it  and  there  will  not  be  any 
need  to  brag.  Everybody  will  see  what  sort  of  a  man  you  are  and  give 
you  credit  for  common  sense  and  for  knowing  more  than  you  really  do. 

Surround  yourself  with  good  influences,  a  club,  a  church,  or  some 
society  where  you  will  be  in  touch  with  other  men.  Nobody  who  dares 
can  afford  to  be  a  hermit,  and  the  man  who  gets  disheartened  at  the 
obstacles  in  his  way,  is  a  fool  and  ought  not  to  and  will  not  succeed. 

Keep  away  from  small  vices  and  the  large  ones  will  not  trouble  you. 
This  will  make  your  sailing  on  a  smooth  sea,  where  there  are  no  rocks 
or  concealed  reefs  to  wreck  you. 

There  are  many  other  things  that  pertain  to  human  life  in  its  as¬ 
pects  as  a  road  to  success.  But  when  you  have  done  your  best,  do  not 
be  anxious  because  you  have  not  done  more.  No  man  can  accomplish 
everything  in  one  short  life,  and  the  best  we  can  do  is  all  that  is  re¬ 
quired  of  us.  Look  upon  every  man  as  a  fellow  worker,  not  in  a  vale 
of  tears,  but  as  cultivating  a  pleasant  valley  blooming  with  flowers.  If 
your  friend  falls  down  help  him  up,  and  he  will  help  you  in  return.  If 
he  offends  you,  do  not  notice  it,  for  no  man  deliberately  offends  a  friend. 
If  disagreement  is  likely  to  lead  to  trouble,  turn  around  to  your  op¬ 
ponent’s  way  of  thinking.  Everybody  has  burdens  to  bear;  and  never 
forget  that  yours  are  not  the  only  ones  hard  to  carry.  Be  a  man  who 
dares,  and  when  life’s  fitful  fever  is  over,  and  you  have  accomplished 
all  you  could  according  to  your  lights  and  your  ability,  let  a  feeling  of 
peace  steal  over  you,  and  trust  in  God  for  the  rest. 

The  man  who  desires  to  become  a  man  of  courage,  and  a  man  who 
dares,  may  gain  force  from  the  words  of  wisdom  in  the  wise  man’s  phil¬ 
osophy  expressed  in  the  following  essentials. 


“Who  so  wise,  and  will  observe  these  things,  even 
they  shall  understand  the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord.” 

—  {Psalms  CV, 


THE  WISE  MAN’S 
PHILOSOPHY 

A  WORLD  OF  KNOWLEDGE 

For  Progressive  Colored 
Americans 


“The  wise  in  heart  shall  be  called  prudent:  and 
the  sweetness  of  the  lips  increaseth  learning.” 

—  {Proverbs  XVI,  21) 


149 


I 


i 


The  Secret  of  Successful  Work 

Knowing  how  to  work  is  a  secret  all  men  do  not  possess. 

When  a  man  is  born  his  life  work  is  born  with  him,  but  the 
work  he  does  remains  after  he  is  gone.  Hence  the  necessity  of 
doing  good  work  for  the  evil  work  we  do  remains  along  with  the 
good  and  hangs  upon  it  like  fetters  upon  a  felon’s  wrists. 

Whether  a  man  works  with  his  hands  or  his  brain  he  exhausts, 
uses  up  a  certain  quantity  of  his  physical  body.  His  brain,  muscles, 
and  every  part  of  his  body  are  drawn  upon  to  help  do  the  work  in 
hand. 

Now,  a  man  may  lessen  the  hardship  of  his  work,  or  he  may 
increase  it  by  his  manner  of  doing  it. 

When  any  work  is  begun,  a  certain  amount  of  vital  energy  is 
started  up  and  continues  working  until  it  is  stopped.  That  energy 
is  like  the  movement  of  a  clock  pendulum — it  keeps  on  moving  back 
and  forth  as  long  as  it  is  kept  wound  up.  When  the  clock  runs 
down,  the  pendulum  stops  because  there  is  no  stored  up  force  to  keep 
it  in  motion. 

This  is  exactly  what  takes  place  in  the  body  when  we  work. 
We  set  the  pendulum  in  motion  and  it  keeps  on  going  until  the 
clock  runs  down,  that  is  until  we  drop  with  exhaustion. 

This  vital  energy  is  an  intellectual  quality,  and  when  we  work 
our  mind  keeps  it  active.  It  is  the  same  when  we  make  hard 
work  of  any  job.  The  vital  energy  works  hard  also. 

Some  men,  sawing  a  stick  of  wood,  for  instance,  will  begin 
sweating  over  the  job  before  they  have  half  sawed  it  through. 
That  is,  they  have  already  finished  the  job  so  far  as  their  vital 
energy  is  concerned  but  more  vital  energy  must  be  exhausted  to  com¬ 
plete  it. 

Do  not  let  your  mind  run  ahead  of  your  work,  but  keep  it  up 
even  with  that  work.  Then  you  will  not  tire  out,  and  after  a  good 
sleep  you  will  be  fresh  to  begin  another  day.  Work  easily  and  steadily. 


151 


The  Key  to  Success 

Character;  Education;  Industry;  Wealth. 

These  are  the  successive  stages  on  the  road  to  success,  and  they 
follow  in  their  regular  order. 

Character  belongs  to  every  man  individually,  and  can  not  be 
copied  from  another.  It  lies  in  the  man;  that  is  all  anybody  can 
tell  about  it.  Natural  probity  combined  with  insight  into  what 
you  are  doing,  your  trade,  business,  occupation,  etc.,  are  the  factors 
that  make  up  character.  It  is  different  from  reputation,  for  a  man 
may  have  a  bad  reputation  and  still  possess  a  good  character.  But 
he  can  not  have  a  bad  character  and  possess  a  good  reputation. 
The  power  to  succeed  in  business  is  character. 

Education  goes  with  character,  and  means  more  than  learning 
or  mere  knowing.  It  means  capacity  and  ability  to  utilize  what 
you  know.  This  is  education. 

You  must  not  only  know  things  but  also  know  how  to  apply 
your  knowledge,  otherwise  you  are  as  well  off  as  if  you  knew  nothing. 

Industry  means  diligence  in  developing  character  and  utilizing 
education  for  all  they  are  worth. 

“The  hand  of  the  diligent  maketh  rich,”  says  Solomon,  the 
wisest  man  that  ever  lived.  He  also  says,  “The  diligent  gaineth 
favor.” 

Wealth  comes  by  the  observance  of  the  foregoing  and  certain 
things  which  should  be  added.  For  instance : 

To  become  industrious  you  must  give  yourself  and  your  fellow 
man  a  fair  exchange  for  what  you  receive. 

You  must  watch  your  intellectual,  spiritual  and  worldly  welfare. 

Progressive  Colored  Americans  must  seek  opportunity  which 
does  not  come  of  itself,  and  which  has  been  denied  them  in  the  past. 

You  must  make  yourself,  and  follow  high  standards. 


Start  Right  in  Life 

By  Avoiding  Foolish  and  Unnecessary 
Extravagances 

Economy  tells  us  we  must  learn  to  do  without  many  things  we 
would  like,  and  forego  all  unnecessai’y  luxuries,  recreations  and 
pleasures  which  call  for  money. 

We  can  be  happy  without  these  things  and  enjoy  the  forgotten 
pleasures  of  home. 

Cut  down  on  rent,  table,  clothes,  etc. 

The  burden  of  economy  falls  upon  the  women  who  do  the 
marketing,  cooking  and  housework. 

Let  the  men  save  on  personal  expenses.  A  woman  can  throw 
out  more  at  the  hack  door  than  a  man  can  bring  in  through  the 
front,  but  his  billiards  or  pool,  cigars  and  drinks  soon  devour  the 
pennies  and  dimes  saved  by  the  wife. 

Do  not  buy  what  you  do  not  need  or  that  you  can  get  along 
without. 

Do  not  make  fun  of  pennies  and  dimes  as  unimportant.  In¬ 
stead  of  saying,  “It  is  only  a  penny,”  say  “It  is  a  whole  penny.” 

Strive  to  learn  economical  buying.  No  one  has  enough  money 
to  say  that  cost  is  of  no  account.  Get  the  very  best  for  your  money. 
Don’t  buy  blindly  without  inquiring  the  price,  and  always  remember 
^that  a  penny  or  a  dime  in  your  pocket  is  just  as  much  at  home  as  in 
that  of  the  merchant. 

Do  not  ride  when  you  can  walk.  You  need  exercise  and  walk¬ 
ing  is  the  best  and  cheapest  method,  much  cheaper  and  better  than 
the  bowling  alley. 

Don’t  buy  two  pounds  of  meat  when  one  pound  will  do;  nor  a 
bushel  when  a  peck  is  sufficient. 

The  first  fruits  and  vegetables  of  the  season  are  expensive ;  wait 
a  few  days  and  they  will  he  cheaper  and  more  mature. 


Ouick  Sales  and  Small  Profits 

Our  modern  system  of  transacting  business  bas  so  materially 
changed  from  what  it  was  a  decade  or  so  ago,  that  a  special  training 
is  required  to  make  a  success. 

Theoretically,  the  difference  between  the  cost  price  and  the 
selling  price  represents  profit.  But  it  often  represents  loss. 

If  goods  could  be  delivered  at  your  place  of  business  at  the  in¬ 
voice  or  purchase  price,  the  selling  price  might  cover  some  profit. 
But  complications  begin  as  soon  as  you  have  made  a  purchase. 

There  is  transportation,  insurance,  demurrage,  haulage,  rent, 
light,  heat,  clerk  hire,  taxes,  and  perhaps  license  fees,  to  be  added 
to  the  burden  of  the  cost  price. 

With  such,  and  so  many  additional  charges,  how  can  there  be 
any  profit,  if  the  goods  are  sold  customers  at  a  fair  price  that  will 
attract  them? 

There  is  only  one  way  to  cover  possible  loss  and  that  is  in  getting 
rid  of  the  goods  at  a  small  profit.  If  you  do  not,  depreciation  enters 
the  field  to  compete  with  the  other  troubles,  and  with  handling,  dust, 
mussing,  etc.,  you  will  have  to  put  up  a  sign  “Selling  below  cost,” 
or  “Bargain  Sale.” 

A  quick  turn  is  the  best  turn  in  business,  and  to  hold  on  to  a 
price  until  you  get  a  fixed  profit  you  have  determined  on,  is  like  re¬ 
fusing  a  good  job  because  the  wages  or  salary  is  lower  than  you  have 
calculated  upon  getting.  The  opportunity  slips  away. 

A  landlord  demands  a  certain  rent  for  his  premises  and  he  will 
not  come  down  a  dollar  a  month.  So  his  property  is  untenanted  for 
a  long  time,  and  he  loses  in  pocket  although  eventually  he  gets  his 
price. 

Make  quick  turns  at  small  profits  and  repeat  often.  Nickel  car 
cares  are  making  the  car  companies  multi-millionaires. 


The  Early  Bird  Gets  the  Worm 

This  is  a  saying  that  contains  a  large  load  of  philosophy. 

There  is  always  a  worm  around  for  an  early  bird  to  pick  up  for 
breakfast.  Of  course  it  is  very  foolish  for  the  worm  to  come  out,  but 
that  is  the  way  things  are  in  this  world. 

What  you  have  to  do  is  to  play  the  part  of  the  bird  by  getting 
there  first.  To  carry  out  the  idea,  remember  that  you  are  not  the 
only  bird  after  the  foolish  worm. 

This  means  hustle  on  your  part,  and  that  is  what  every  business 
must  show — hustle. 

In  any  event  do  not  be  the  worm. 

You  watch  the  markets  and  take  advantage  of  every  fall  in 
prices.  Perhaps  there  is  a  small  telegram  in  an  out  of  the  way  place 
in  your  morning  newspaper,  which  intimates  that  there  is  going  to 
be  a  large  shipment  to  market  of  potatoes,  peaches,  cabbages  and 
so  on.  Down  you  go  and  put  in  an  order  at  a  small  price  and  you 
get  the  product.  Or,  you  have  a  lot  on  hand  and  a  glut  will  lower 
prices.  Up  you  get  and  down  you  go  to  sell  out  your  lot  at  less  than 
the  market  rates  to  those  who  have  not  yet  seen  the  approach  of  a 
glut. 

You  do  not  have  to  wait  for  breakfast  or  for  anything — just 
travel  and  hustle. 

The  weather  report  mentions  a  probable  frost.  Down  you  go 
and  mark  up  the  product  likely  to  be  affected.  Everybody — every 
early  bird  is  doing  it,  and  it  is  the  custom  of  business  men  to  do  this. 

The  worm  picked  up  by  the  early  bird  is  the  man  who  says 
“Pooh!  I  don’t  believe  there  is  going  to  be  any  glut  or  any  frost.” 

This  is  a  mighty  big  country  and  things  are  coming  and  going 
all  the  time.  There  is  a  big  production  and  it  is  crowded  to  the 
point  where  there  is  liable  to  be  a  frost — that  is  a  deficiency  in  the 
market,  and  then  you  have  a  glut.  Keep  your  eyes  and  ears  open  and 
watch  the  market  reports. 


OPEN  A  SAVINGS  BANK 
ACCOUNT 


If  you  ever  hope  to  be  considered  a  thrifty  citizen,  a  man  to  be 
looked  up  to,  you  must  exhibit  some  financial  standing. 

You  can  do  this  by  opening  a  savings  bank  account.  A  man 
who  has  a  bank  account  is  never  ignored,  whether  his  account  is 
large  or  small.  It  means  something  substantial,  and  you  feel  more 
like  holding  up  your  head  and  looking  at  the  sun  without  a  smoked 
glass. 

Many  people  save  their  money,  or  think  they  do,  by  hiding  it 
away  in  the  bottom  of  a  trunk,  burying  it,  or  carrying  it  around  in 
their  pocket.  These  people  generally  lose  their  money  because  it  is 
as  easily  accessible  to  others  as  well  as  to  themselves. 

Banks  are  safe  institutions  at  the  present  day,  but  not  a  bank 
run  by  private  parties  for  their  own  benefit.  You  must  not  be  de¬ 
ceived  by  glowing  promises  of  returns  on  your  money,  for  they 
always  come  from  those  who  are  scheming  to  get  it  away  from  you 
without  returning  it. 

There  are  all  sorts  of  tricky  people  roaming  about  looking  for 
those  who  have  a  little  money  saved  up  and  who  are  afraid  to  put  it 
into  a  savings  bank.  Do  not  listen  to  them  for  you  will  be  deceived. 
You  can  not  take  up  a  newspaper  without  reading  about  some  man 
or  woman  who  has  been  defrauded  of  the  little  money  hoarded  in  a 
tea  pot,  or  burned  up  in  an  old  stove,  dug  up  from  some  secret  hiding 
place  under  a  tree,  or  picked  from  his  pocket  by  an  enterprising 
thief. 

Trust  your  money  to  first  class  savings  banks  and  it  will  be  there 
when  you  want  it,  and  it  can  not  be  lost  or  stolen.  The  bank  is  re¬ 
sponsible. 

“Some  banks  burst.”  True,  but  not  a  good  bank,  the  shady 
ones  always  fail  when  they  get  a  good  sized  roll. 

If  you  do  not  know  enough  to  put  your  money  in  a  safe  place, 
you  do  not  deserve  to  have  any,  and  you  generally  do  not. 


SAVE  YOUR  MONEY  AND  MAKE  IT 
WORK  FOR  YOU 

There  is  one  open  opportunity  that  everybody  can  take  if  he 
wishes  to  do  so,  and  with  very  little  exertion  on  his  part. 

The  man  who  makes  his  money  earn  money  for  him  relieves  his 
own  back  of  many  heavy  burdens. 

To  do  this  is  the  ob.iect  and  aim  of  every  go  ahead  person,  and 
there  are  many  men  who  walk  our  streets  who  have  money  making 
money  for  them,  even  while  they  sleep. 

All  you  have  to  do  is  to  save  your  dollars  instead  of  giving  them 
away  for  somebody  else  to  work  with — work  them  yourself. 

It  is  worth  knowing  that  when  you  squander,  or  spend  unneces¬ 
sarily,  one  dollar,  you  are  at  the  same  time  parting  with  a  servant 
that  will  bring  you  in  profitable  returns — you  are  killing  the  goose 
that  lays  golden  eggs. 

Stop  and  think  that  whenever  you  part  with  one  dollar  you  are 
sacrificing  two  or  more  dollars,  some  say,  five  or  ten,  for  the  reason 
that  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  your  dollar  will  earn  you  several 
other  dollars  by  being  put  out  at  interest,  or  in  bonds  that  pay  good 
rates  of  interest. 

It  is  a  comforting  thought  to  know  that  when  you  can  not  work, 
your  money  is  working  for  you  every  moment. 

The  following  tables  will  show  you  just  what  it  does : 

TIME  IN  WHICH  MONEY  DOUBLES. 


Per 

Cent 

Simple  Int. 

Comp.  Int. 

Per 

Cent 

Simple  Int. 

Comp,  Int. 

2 

50  years 

35  years 

5 

20  years 

14  yrs.  75  da. 

40  years 

28  yrs.  26  da. 

6 

16  yrs,  8  mos. 

11  yrs.  327  da. 

3 

33  yrs.  4  mos. 

23  yrs.  164  da. 

7 

14  yrs.  104  da. 

10  yrs.  89  da. 

28  yrs.  208  da. 

20  yrs.  54  da. 

8 

12^  years 

9  yrs.  2  da. 

4 

25  years 

17  yrs.  246  da. 

9 

11  yrs.  40  da. 

8  yrs.  16  da. 

454 

22  yrs.  81  da. 

15  yrs.  273  da. 

10 

10  years 

7  yrs.  100  da. 

A  Dollar  Saved  Is  a  Dollar  Earned 
A  small  sum  saved  daily  for  fifty  years  will  grow  at  the  following  rate: 


Daily  Savings  Result 

One  cent . $  950 

Ten  cents .  9,504 

Twenty  cents .  19,006 

Thirty  cents .  28,512 

Forty  cents .  38,015 

Fifty  cents .  47,520 


Daily  Savings  Result 

Sixty  cents . $  57,024 

Seventy  cents .  66,528 

Eighty  cents .  76,032 

Ninety  cents .  85,537 

One  Dollar .  95,041 


BECOME  A  LAND  OWNER 


From  the  material  point  of  view,  there  is  nothing  on  this  earth 
that  leads  to  so  much  success,  security,  and  social  standing  as  the 
ownership  of  land. 

By  owning  land  you  become  a  landlord,  and  you  gain  that  op¬ 
portunity  by  thrift  and  economy. 

Land  is  the  soundest  investment  in  the  world,  and  it  has  always 
been  one  of  the  great  objects  and  hopes  of  the  people  of  the  earth  to 
own  a  small  slice  of  its  surface. 

If  you  own  land,  you  acquire  a  sense  of  responsibility  to  the 
community  where  it  is  located.  You  are  invested  with  a  dignity 
which  you  can  not  obtain  in  any  other  way.  You  possess  a  sense  of 
security  and  independence  that  nothing  else  will  give  you. 

All  over  the  world  it  is  land  which  is  considered  first  security. 
In  this  country,  the  courts  refuse  money  or  jewels  for  bail,  insisting 
upon  land  as  the  requirement  of  the  bond. 

The  reason  is  because  land  is  a  fixture ;  means  security  that  can 
not  be  carried  away  or  be  lost,  it  is  always  there  when  it  is  wanted. 

Buy  land,  therefore,  if  only  a  small  portion.  If  you  can  not  get 
forty  acres,  get  twenty,  or  ten,  or  one,  but  get  some  land,  and  you 
will  be  surprised  to  find  how  fast  your  acre  will  become  two,  etc. 

There  are  always  opportunities  to  buy  land  on  time,  so  that  you 
do  not  have  to  wait  until  you  have  a  large  sum  of  money,  but  you 
can  pay  in  small  amounts  on  long  time. 

It  is  a  good  business  that  of  real  estate.  You  buy  land,  then  sub¬ 
divide  it,  sell  a  part  to  pay  for  the  whole,  and  own  the  rest.  It  is  a 
common,  every  day  transaction,  and  is  successful,  but  you  must  keep 
your  eyes  open. 


OWN  YOUR  OWN  HOME 


A  man  without  a  home  may  as  well  be  a  man  without  a  country. 
A  home  is  bail  for  success  in  life.  Not  a  mere  place  to  live  and  sleep, 
or  eat  and  get  your  washing  done,  but  a  home  of  your  own,  what  an 
Englishman  calls  his  “castle.”  Yours  where  you  are  safe  from  in¬ 
truders,  and  feel  like  a  king  in  his  own  domain. 

It  is  easy  to  acquire  a  home,  but  you  must  begin  at  the  beginning 
and  do  as  all  others  have  done  and  will  always  do.  Buy  the  beginning 
of  a  home  with  what  you  can  easily  save  out  of  your  earnings  or 
wages. 

The  way  to  do  is  to  buy  a  small  lot  for  a  home,  a  small  piece  of 
ground  upon  which  you  can  build  a  little  cage  for  yourself,  your  dear 
ones,  and  for  your  posterity,  or  in  anticipation  of  such  an  event.  It 
pays.  The  man  who  does  not  dream  of  a  posterity  is  not  a  good 
citizen,  a  good  friend,  nor  a  safe  man  to  deal  with. 

You  do  not  have  to  pay  out  a  large  sum  of  money;  a  small  sum 
to  begin  with  will  secure  you  a  start  toward  a  home.  Paying  gradu¬ 
ally,  you  will  soon  have  the  ownership  of  a  portion  of  this  green 
earth,  and  a  spot  all  your  own.  Then  you  can  build  when  the 
ground  is  paid  for.  That  is  the  key  to  a  home — get  a  lot  paid  for 
and  you  can  always  secure  a  building  fund. 

In  this  way  you  become  a  real  member  of  society,  a  citizen  who 
has  an  interest  in  the  way  his  affairs  are  carried  on.  In  addition  to 
that,  you  are  deemed  a  solid  citizen,  a  fixture,  and  when  the  time 
comes  you  are  the  one  selected  to  fill  an  opportunity  of  any  sort 
within  your  capacity. 


DONT  BORROW  MONEY  FOR  NEED- 
LESS  EXPENSES 

It  is  a  common  business  transaction  to  borrow  money  when 
there  are  sufficient  assets  to  justify  it.  But  in  such  cases  there 
is  a  regular  rate  of  interest  fixed  by  law  as  payment  for  the  use  of 
the  money  borrowed.  You  can  not  risk  any  other  than  the  legal 
rate  of  interest,  if  you  do  you  are  taking  unwarranted  risks,  and 
subjecting  yourself  to  the  yoke  of  a  loan  shark,  out  of  whose  clutches 
you  can  never  emerge  without  tremendous  sacrifices,  often  ruin. 

Money  borrowed  to  speculate  with  is  a  heavy  and  dangerous 
burden  on  the  borrower.  When  he  loses,  he  not  only  has  nothing 
to  show  for  his  folly,  but  is  goaded  into  borrowing  more  in  the  hope 
of  making  good  his  loss.  Once  in  the  toils,  he  will  not  stop  until 
ruined  financially — perhaps  morally.  If  he  wins  he  will  still  pursue 
the  phantom  fortune  on  borrowed  money  and  lose  finally.  Specula¬ 
tion  is  a  gamble  with  the  odds  against  you. 

In  speculations,  “Neither  a  borrower  nor  a  lender  be.” 

If  you  have  to  borrow  money  to  complete  or  perfect  some  trans¬ 
action  or  business  deal,  or  to  carry  you  through,  or  tide  yourself 
over  some  delay,  you  can  always  get  it  at  the  regular  rate  of  interest, 
provided  you  have  reputation,  and  security.  But  do  not  mortgage 
your  clothes,  furniture,  etc.,  for  anything  but  an  absolutely  necessary 
loan. 

Remember  always,  that  money  borrowed  and  spent  is  a  hardship 
to  return  unless  you  have  the  wherewith  in  the  way  of  business  to 
make  good. 

If  you  worked  half  as  hard  to  get  money  for  your  own  pocket 
as  you  do  to  repay  a  loan,  you  never  would  need  to  borrow. 


ESTABLISH  A  REPUTATION  FOR 
YOURSELF 


To  get  along  successfully  in  business,  or  in  any  other  occupation, 
for  that  matter,  every  man  must  establish  a  reputation  for  himself. 

Indeed,  reputation  is  the  basis  of  credit;  it  is  his  first  and  best 
capital  with  which  to  make  a  start  in  life. 

Of  course,  the  reputation  meant  is  a  good  reputation,  and  not 
one  that  is  open  to  question, 

A  man  may  have  a  reputation  as  a  fighter,  a  shrewd  man,  a 
tricky  man,  a  dishonest  man,  and  so  on,  but  these  keep  him  back 
in  the  life  struggle,  and  even  if  he  should  succeed,  as  the  wicked  are 
often  said  to  do,  his  success  will  be  only  temporary. 

It  is  the  lasting  reputation  for  honesty  and  fair  dealing  that 
brings  a  man  up  to  the  standard  of  success. 

Be  true  to  your  word,  stand  by  your  contracts  even  if  you 
should  lose  an  advantage,  for  you  will  regain  more  than  you  lose  by 
your  reputation. 

A  good  reputation  in  small  things  means  the  acquirement  of  a 
reputation  in  large  things.  You  are  always  gaining. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  constantly,  however,  that  a  reputation 
is  easily  lost  by  a  false  step:  “At  every  word  a  reputation  dies.” 
Hence,  having  once  gained  a  reputation  for  fairness,  honesty,  and 
squareness,  do  not  let  any  small  advantage  or  chance  of  gain  persuade 
you  to  throw  it  away,  for  a  reputation  once  lost  will  cost  you  years 
of  sorrow  to  regain.  When  you  have  lost  the  good  opinion  of  your 
fellow  man,  you  may  as  well  withdraw  from  their  society  for  you  will 
be  an  object  of  suspicion  ever  after. 


IIVIPROVE  PRESENT  OPPORTUNITIES 


If  you  knew  that  by  pulling  up  a  rope  hanging  down  a  well,  you 
would  get  a  rich  prize,  a  bag  of  gold,  or  a  box  of  diamonds,  you 
would  keep  on  pulling. 

Now,  life  is  nothing  but  pulling  at  something  at  the  end  of  which 
Ave  hope  and  expect  to  find  something  Avorth  Avhile. 

What  AA^e  pull  at  consists  of  a  long  string  of  opportunities,  and 
if  Ave  let  go,  then  we  lose. 

The  fact  is,  Ave  must  improve  our  present  opportunities,  for  they 
lead  to  other  and  better  ones.  Small  opportunities  are  not  to  be 
despised  for  several  of  them  make  one  large  one  which  is  what  you 
are  aiming  at.  “Little  drops  of  Avater,  little  grains  of  sand,  make 
the  mighty  ocean  and  the  beauteous  land.” 

Some  people  Avant  to  get  rich  immediately,  and  venture  into  all 
kinds  of  speculations  to  get  there.  These  are  not  opportunities,  they 
spell  ruin  in  the  end.  They  are  the  destroyers  of  opportunities. 

An  opportunity  ahvays  makes  good  if  you  stick  to  it,  but  flies 
aAvay  from  you  if  you  neglect  it. 

Opportunity  says  to  you:  “Oh,  well,  if  you  do  not  care  for  my 
company,  there  are  others  Avho  do,”  and  away  it  goes  to  the  others, 
and  then  you  have  regrets,  too  late  perhaps,  some  other  man  has 
appropriated  it. 

It  is  a  common  saying:  “Everything  comes  to  him  who  Avaits,” 
but  Napoleon  said:  “Everything  comes  to  him  WHO  KNOWS  HOW 
to  wait.”  There  is  a  vast  difference. 

Do  you  know  HOW  to  wait,  friend?  If  you  do  then  you  are 
ready  to  grasp  opportunity  Avhen  it  comes  your  way. 

Christ  said:  “Seek  and  ye  shall  find.”  To  this  may  be  added 
the  saying  of  St.  Paul  the  great  Apostle  who  was  certainly  a  wise 
man:  “Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good.”  Do  it  now, 
for  time  flies.  “The  Bird  of  Time  has  but  a  little  way  to  fly — and 
Lo !  the  Bird  is  on  the  Wing.” 


HOW  TO  MAKE  USE  OF  VALUABLE 
SPARE  TIME 


What  do  men  do  when  their  work  for  the  day  is  over? 

We  are  arranging  things  so  that  a  man  will  have  eight  hours’ 
work,  eight  hours’  play  and  eight  hours’  sleep.  The  sleep  you  must 
have  or  you  can  neither  work  nor  play.  This  division  of  time  con¬ 
sumes  the  whole  day. 

When  we  speak  of  eight  hours’  work,  we  mean  “work,”  not 
dawdling. 

By  attending  to  the  business  you  have  on  hand  you  work,  and 
the  clergymen  say:  “A  man  who  labors  prays.” 

But  what  to  do  during  the  eight  hours  set  apart  for  play;  that 
is  the  rub.  Of  course  everybody  should  understand  that  by  “Play” 
is  not  meant  dissipation,  far  from  it.  It  means  “recreation”  of  some 
sort  that  will  help  do  the  work  and  induce  sleep. 

A  change  of  occupation  is  often  play  to  some,  because  it  gives 
the  mind  and  the  unused  muscles  a  variety  which  is  equal  to  rest. 

A  few  hours  of  the  play  time  devoted  to  improvement  either  of 
the  mind  or  in  the  business  we  are  in,  will  be  of  great  benefit  and 
result  in  a  “raise.” 

Few  people  want  to  die  young,  but  the  sure  way  to  reach  the 
end  is  to  work  when  we  should  play.  Labor  constantly  undergone, 
for  sixteen  hours  every  day,  shortens  life  by  about  one-half.  The 
human  machine  is  built  for  so  much  service,  and  if  that  service  is 
crowded  into  a  short  space  of  time,  why  then  the  machine  gives  out. 
Like  any  other  machine  it  gives  out  and  goes  to  the  scrap  pile. 

If  we  play  all  the  time,  why  then,  the  machine  rusts,  and  gives 
out  just  the  same.  So  if  we  sleep  all  the  time,  we  rust  and  the  brain 
gives  out  by  inaction. 

It  is  wise  to  divide  the  day  equally  as  is  suggested,  and  do  some¬ 
thing  during  sixteen  hours,  and  sleep  the  other  eight  hours.  This 
is  scientific,  and  leads  to  good  health,  long  life,  and,  if  you  do  not 
speculate,  leads  to  wealth,  at  least  to  a  good  living. 


FIT  YOURSELF  FOR  SOME 
TRADE  OR  CALLING 


What  do  3^011  intend  to  do  for  a  living  ? 

Plenty  of  time  to  decide  that,  you  say  for  yourself  or  for  your 

boy. 

You  deceive  yourself,  for  there  is  not  plenty  of  time.  You  must 
decide  early,  and  educate  yourself  for  the  trade  or  calling  you  have 
decided  to  follow. 

You  must  have  some  definite  aim  in  life.  Nobody  can  fix  one  for 
jmu.  Yoii  know  best  what  you  can  do,  what  you  would  like  to  do, 
and  what  sort  of  an  education  you  need  to  do  it. 

Things  move  swiftly  in  these  modern  times,  and  you  must  decide 
quickly,  or  fall  behind  in  the  race  to  the  life  goal. 

Others  are  treading  on  your  heels  and  you  must  go  ahead  or 
fall  out  altogether,  and  the  procession  is  so  large,  and  so  closely 
packed  that  jmu  can  not  wedge  your  way  in  again  without  a  hard 
struggle. 

Do  you  want  to  be  a  farmer?  Study  farming,  and  everything 
that  pertains  to  farm  work. 

Perhaps  you  would  prefer  to  be  a  doctor.  Well,  then  you  must 
study  for  a  doctor’s  profession  and  let  farming  alone.  If  you  are 
built  for  a  doctor  you  can  be  one,  but  you  should  study  jmurself  care¬ 
fully  and  take  advice  on  the  subject. 

You  would  rather  be  a  lawyer?  The  same  effort  to  be  a  doctor 
must  be  made.  You  can  not  be  a  lawyer  just  because  you  are  bright 
and  say  funny  things  sometimes. 

Whatever  you  decide  to  do,  whether  farmer,  doctor,  lawyer, 
blacksmith,  carpenter,  or  merchant,  be  one  or  the  other  and  do  not 
try  to  straddle  all  of  them. 

A  Jack  of  All  Trades  is  master  of  none,  and  he  is  not  wanted  in 
this  age  of  specialties.  Be  some  one  thing  and  be  that  thing  for  all 
there  is  in  it. 


WORK  FOR  SUCCESS  WHILE 

YOUNG 


Youth  is  the  time  to  work  for  success. 

Old  age  is  the  winter  time  of  life  and  if  no  provision  has  been 
made  to  acquire  a  competence  before  that  period,  it  will  he  an  un¬ 
happy  time,  perhaps  a  miserable  existence  as  the  result. 

Success  has  no  tomorrow,  it  is  always  today,  and  if  the  sun  of 
today  sets  upon  failure,  it  can  not  be  hoped  that  it  will  rise  to¬ 
morrow  upon  success,  there  being  nothing  to  cause  it  to  do  so. 

There  is  no  greater  duty  to  be  performed  by  man  than  to  lay  by 
provision  for  the  future.  Even  the  animals  prepare  for  a  rainy  day, 
the  worst  specimens  are  those  who  neglect  this  instinct. 

It  is  an  instinct,  the  instinct  of  self-preservation. 

Exi^erienee  demonstrates,  in  fact,  it  has  become  an  axiom  of 
science,  that  after  a  certain  age,  a  man  is  incompetent  to  perform 
his  duties  in  as  profitable  a  manner  as  before. 

Some  fix  the  age  at  forty  years,  while  others  say  that  a  man 
has  reached  the  fulness  of  his  capacity  at  the  age  of  fifty  years. 

It  depends,  of  course,  upon  your  employment,  as  to  that.  When 
a  man’s  occupation  consists  of  hard  physical  labor,  he  should  have 
acquired  enough  to  carry  him  over  during  the  rest  of  his  life,  by  the 
time  he  has  reached  the  age  of  fifty  years. 

It  is  certain  in  business  and  trade  circles,  that  a  man  need  not 
look  for  employment  as  a  skilled  laborer  after  the  age  of  forty-five 
years. 

The  body  wears  out  after  years  of  toil,  or  j-ears  of  idleness — 
which  is  the  same  thing — and  the  mental  vigor  lessens  materially. 

For  this  reason,  you  will  become  worn  out  before  attaining  suc¬ 
cess,  unless  you  spend  your  time  of  youth  in  attaining  it. 


Opportunity  for  Business  Life 

Become  a  merchant,  if  that  is  your  inclination,  but  begin  in  a 
small  way  and  build  up.  You  have  children,  then  the  business  will 
he  for  them  when  they  grow  up  and  are  able  to  help  you. 

The  way  is  easy  if  you  look  around  for  the  best  opening.  Pick 
out  your  neighborhood  and  study  the  wants  of  the  people.  There  is 
always  a  law  of  demand  and  supply,  for  people  want  things  of 
every  description  every  day  and  every  hour. 

Now  what  does  a  particular  neighborhood  need?  That  is  the 
first  thing  to  learn.  Next,  what  do  they  want?  That  is  the  second. 
Thirdly,  how  many  people  are  there  needing  and  wanting  things? 
There  you  are  with  the  elementary  knowledge  ready  at  hand. 

Talk  with  a  few  of  them  and  find  out  how  they  feel  about  a 
business  among  them  within  reach  and  with  accommodations  of 
supply  and  delivery. 

Then  begin  quietly  without  a  splurge  or  plunging.  Go  slowly, 
except  when  there  is  a  sudden  demand,  then  work  quickly  to  supply 
that  demand.  Generally,  however,  you  should  work  up,  and  put 
yourself  in  a  position  to  be  liked.  You  treat  everybody  as  if  you 
wanted  to  accommodate  them,  and  they  soon  realize  that. 

You  never  can  tell  what  a  small  beginning  will  lead  to.  If  you 
keep  your  eyes  open  the  future  will  unfold  itself.  In  every  locality 
in  our  cities  and  settled  country  districts,  the  population  is  increas¬ 
ing,  in  many  cases  by  leaps  and  bounds.  You  are  there  and  with 
the  proper  kindliness  and  affability  you  will  grow  with  the  place, 
and  the  more  the  population  increases  the  greater  will  grow  your 
business. 

There  you  are,  a  business  man,  grown  to  be  such  by  the  force 
of  circumstances  and  tact  with  good  judgment.  The  business  will 
grow  still  more  with  the  help  of  your  children. 


Build  Up  Your  Credit 

By  making  your  word  as  good  as  your  bond,  you  are  seizing  an 
opportunity  to  build  up  your  credit,  and  without  credit  you  can  not 
hope  to  win  in  the  battle  of  life. 

Pay  your  debts  and  meet  all  your  obligations  as  promptly  as  you 
can,  and  if  you  can  not  on  the  specified  day,  come  out  squarely  and 
give  the  reasons  why. 

Be  frank  and  open  with  the  man  you  owe,  and  while  he  expects 
you  to  meet  your  engagements  according  to  the  express  letter  of 
your  contract,  he  recognizes  the  fact  that  in  every  business  trans¬ 
action  there  are  accidents  that  prevent  it. 

There  are  always  modifications  of  contracts,  because  human 
nature  makes  mistakes.  The  best  of  men  do  this,  but  they  come  out 
in  a  manly  fashion  and  admit  it. 

It  is  said  that  business  is  hard,  and  knows  no  yielding;  that 
when  a  man  promises  to  do  a  thing,  he  MUST  do  it  whether  he  can 
or  not.  This  is  nonsense,  business  is  like  every  other  department  of 
life,  it  hinges  upon  humane  principles. 

If,  however,  you  have  not  established  your  credit,  you  must  do 
so,  and  you  must  keep  it  up.  You  can  not  begin  your  credit  by  beg¬ 
ging  for  delay  the  very  first  engagement  you  make  to  pay.  That 
is  always  a  bad  beginning,  in  fact,  it  is  no  beginning  at  all. 

Business  men  watch  your  progress,  and  if  you  have  shown  your¬ 
self  capable,  honorable,  and  prompt  for  a  reasonable  time,  they  are 
always  ready  to  help  you  out  in  the  time  of  adversity  or  bad  luck. 

It  is  policy  to  do  this,  and  you  may  as  well  adopt  the  following 
idea  also:  “A  man  may  be  down  today  and  up  tomorrow.  If  he 
is  down  today  and  has  credit  of  good  repute,  he  Avill  get  up  to¬ 
morrow  through  help  extended  to  him.  Otherwise  he  will  be  left 
where  he  falls.” 


Stiffen  Your  Backbone  and  Keep 
on  Climbing 

The  owner  of  a  stiff  backbone  is  not  easily  put  down  by  adverse 
circumstances. 

No  man’s  troubles  overwhelm  him  unless  be  gives  in  to  them 
weakly. 

This  is  the  experience  of  men  since  the  world  began:  Tou  must 
fight  your  way  up  and  never  look  back  to  slipping  places,  for  then 
you  will  surely  stumble. 

Worry  is  one  of  the  symptoms  of  a  weak  backbone.  Everybody 
should  know  that  small  stumbles  are  not  killing  matters  to  mourn 
over  or  worry  about.  You  may  have  had  in  your  own  experience, 
many  cases  where  your  worries  and  anxieties  proved  nothing  but 
phantoms.  You  think  you  will  not  survive  until  tomorrow,  but  you 
always  see  the  sun  shining  the  next  day  whatever  befalls  you  today. 

Things  always  come  out  as  a  rule  much  better  than  you  expect, 
or  dared  hope. 

If  you  have  health  and  good  friends  to  encourage  you,  why 
should  you  worry  or  fret  over  the  things  of  life  which  are  always 
small  and  insignificant? 

Keep  your  eyes  open  and  watch  for  another  opportunity  to 
wedge  yourself  back  in,  if  you  should  happen  to  be  crowded  out  of 
anything. 

You  must  not  think  that  every  avenue  to  opportunity  is  sealed 
up  against  you  because  you  do  not  find  a  wide  open  way  to  get  in. 
Try  a  small  way  first,  and  keep  on  pushing  and  the  road  will  widen. 
That  is  you  must  not  weaken,  if  you  do  you  will  slide  back  and  so 
be  always  climbing  up  and  sliding  down  the  hill. 


Keep  in  the  Race,  Don’t  Give  Up 

The  Holy  Bible  tells  you,  and  man’s  experience  has  always 
demonstrated  it,  that  “The  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle 
to  the  strong.” 

You  are  fearful  that  you  will  not  win.  Why?  Is  it  not  because 
you  are  looking  backward  instead  of  forward? 

You  have  had  much  to  contend  with,  let  us  say;  very  well,  are 
you  going  to  lie  down  now  that  you  can  see  daylight  ahead? 

We  are  living  in  the  present,  acquiring  strength  for  the  future, 
the  past  is  dead  and  should  be  buried.  The  man  who  looks  back  is 
useless  for  present  needs. 

Get  away  from  the  down-trodden  notion,  the  servant  idea,  and 
be  a  man  with  an  intelligent  brain  aspiring  to  higher  things. 

Every  man  is  what  he  thinks  himself  to  be,  and  if  you  have 
no  aspirations  beyond  your  present  occupation,  then  you  will  re¬ 
main  in  that  occupation  and  nobody  can  pull  you  out  of  it. 

On  the  contrary,  a  man  who  thinks  he  is  fitted  for  some  better 
occupation  than  the  one  he  is  engaged  in,  will  soon  find  that  other 
occupation ;  he  will  soon  be  his  own  master. 

No  man  is  kept  out  of  a  thing  unless  he  wants  to  stay  out.  It 
is  true  there  are  sometimes  many  difficulties,  and  in  the  case  of  our 
Colored  Americans,  they  have  been  appalling  and  discouraging.  But 
the  light  is  breaking,  the  black  clouds  are  disappearing,  and  soon, 
if  you  keep  in  the  race,  you  will  find  the  land  of  sunshine  and 
happiness. 

Don’t  give  up  the  ship  as  long  as  there  is  a  timber  to  float  on. 


Keep  an  Eye  on  the  Future 

It  is  quite  true  that  we  are  living  in  the  present  but  we  do  not 
stop  with  today  or  stand  still.  You  know  that  the  sun  will  rise  to¬ 
morrow  and  that  you  will  see  it  rise.  That  is,  in  all  probability. 

The  sun  of  tomorrow  and  your  rising  are  future  events. 

In  the  present  you  prepare  for  tomorrow  and  continue  what  you 
began  on  the  yesterday.  Otherwise  you  are  standing  still.  No  man 
can  proceed  if  he  must  begin  over  again  every  tomorrow  that  comes 
to  him  in  his  life,  he  must  have  done  something  that  can  not  be 
completed  except  in  the  future. 

That  gives  him  work  to  do,  something  at  which  he  can  make 
progress.  You  will  be  of  more  value  tomorrow  than  you  are  today 
because  you  have  advanced  by  experience — you  have  learned  some¬ 
thing,  and  so  you  will  learn  something  every  day  and  every  to-mor¬ 
row  will  find  an  improvement  in  you.  Your  time  will  be  of  more 
value,  and  your  services  command  a  higher  price.  You  must  work 
things  around  so  that  this  will  happen  to  you. 

To  every  young  man  the  future  holds  everything  dear  to  him, 
his  hopes  are  all  centered  on  the  future.  In  it  he  sees  a  home,  a 
family,  honor,  fame  perhaps,  wealth  possibly,  comforts  and  a  peace¬ 
ful  old  age. 

He  may  bring  all  these  to  pass  but  he  must  carry  them  always 
in  his  mind  as  things  to  be  attained. 

We  may  not  know  what  the  future  has  in  store  for  us,  but  we 
can  shape  events,  our  lives  and  our  doings  so  that  we  will  know 
something  of  the  future.  When  we  say  we  do  not  know  what  the 
future  will  bring  forth,  we  do  not  mean  things  of  our  own  creation 
because  we  do  know  that  much,  but  accidentals,  and  against  those 
dangers  we  can  provide  by  taking  counsel  and  making  provision  to 
defeat  them. 


Produce  Something  and  Increase  Yonr 
Own  Value  to  the  World 


The  man  who  is  a  consumer  only  is  of  little  use  in  this  world. 
He  is  out  of  balance  with  energies  and  activities  in  the  business  or 
professional  world. 

The  earth,  the  soil,  is  valuable  only  because  it  PRODUCES 
something  that  did  not  exist  before.  It  creates  in  its  way.  The  more 
it  creates  or  produces,  the  more  its  value.  When  it  produces  nothing 
it  is  called  a  desert  and  is  avoided  for  all  useful  purposes. 

It  is  the  same  way  with  men;  they  must  produce,  make  some¬ 
thing,  and  the  more  things  they  make  or  produce,  the  higher  their 
value,  the  greater  their  wage  earning  capacity,  or  income  producing 
power. 

Uet  the  Colored  American  get  into  a  business  of  his  own ;  begin 
in  a  small  way,  but  make  something  for  others  to  buy  or  use. 

To  become  a  producer  he  must  enter  the  manufacturing  and 
commercial  fields.  He  must  grow  up  with  his  business  of  producing. 

In  this  way  he  will  establish  an  enterprise  for  his  sons  and 
daughters,  and  he  will  be  able  to  sit  in  comfort  beneath  his  own 
vine  and  fig  tree. 

Present  “Opportunity”  lies  in  taking  advantage  of  present  con¬ 
ditions,  always  remembering  that  as  we  progress  we  open  up  other 
and  better  opportunities  that  may  be  temporarily  closed  to  us. 

To  get  the  means  to  do  this,  we  must  educate  and  work.  The 
race  has  made  wonderful  progress  in  the  field,  the  workshop,  and  in 
the  professions,  but  it  must  reach  out  into  commercial  life,  for  the 
wherewith  to  carry  out  higher  ideals. 

We  must  cultivate  the  commercial  instinct  if  we  would  master 
our  own  destinies. 

We  are  all  what  we  make  of  ourselves,  and  can  not  accuse 
another  of  spoiling  the  work. 


STOP,  LOOK,  LISTEN! 

At  every  cross  road  in  the  country  there  is  a  warning  signal: 
“Look  out  for  the  Locomotive.”  At  every  railroad  crossing  in  every 
large  city,  there  are  bells  rung,  whistles  blown,  and  even  guards  let 
down  when  a  locomotive  passes. 

Policemen  stand  at  corners  to  warn  people  to  look  out,  etc. 

Why  all  these  precautions?  Simply  to  prevent  people  from 
endangering  their  lives.  Yet,  there  are  lives  lost  every  day  from 
failure  to  heed  the  warning  signals,  and  many  persons  are  maimed 
and  crippled  for  life  from  the  same  cause. 

The  impression  seems  to  be  that  people  do  not  know  enough 
to  take  care  of  themselves,  and  that  they  are  disposed  to  rush  into 
danger  heedlessly  and  imperil  their  lives. 

The  impression  is  based  upon  truth.  People  do  not  know  how  to 
take  care  of  themselves,  and  therefore  the  law  exercises  a  sort  of 
guardianship  over  them.  It  is  all  very  nice  to  feel  that  there  is 
somebody  caring  for  us  and  shielding  us  from  our  own  stupidity^ 
That  is  what  it  is — stupidity. 

If  men  would  only  stop,  look  and  listen,  that  is,  keep  their  wits 
about  them,  there  would  be  fewer  accidents,  fewer  failures  in  busi¬ 
ness,  and  fewer  failures  to  succeed  at  anything. 

It  is  not  the  foolish,  the  ignorant,  and  the  small  child  who 
incur  risks  that  are  fatal,  but  grown  men,  men  of  intelligence  and 
even  wisdom  and  sagacity  who  venture  too  far  and  are  caught  up 
by  hidden  or  exposed  dangers,  and  lose  their  lives. 

It  is  almost  suicide  for  any  man  to  lose  his  life  through  his  own 
carelessness  and  inattention  to  danger  signals. 

These  warnings  exist  everywhere  in  every  department  of  busi¬ 
ness,  and  in  every  occupation.  A  suit  for  heavy  damages  is  no  con¬ 
solation  to  the  man  who  throws  his  life  away  through  carelessness. 


BE  EVERY  MAN’S  FRIEND 


Every  man  with  a  grain  of  common  sense  prefers  a  friend  to  an 
enemy. 

Not  that  a  man  need  to  have  enemies,  for  if  you  make  yourself 
a  friend  to  every  man,  every  man  will  be  your  friend  and  you  will 
have  no  enemies. 

There  is  much  comfort  and  peace  of  mind,  besides  greater 
opportunities  for  succeeding  in  any  occupation,  if  you  possess  that 
charming  trait  known  as  “friendship.” 

Friendship  is  a  valuable  asset  in  character.  There  are  always 
times  during  life  when  you  need  a  friend,  and  you  can  always  have 
one  ready  at  hand  if  you  are  a  friend  to  others. 

We  all  knoAV  that  a  friend  in  need  is  a  friend  indeed,  but  do 
not  bank  upon  what  you  are  to  gain  by  being  a  friend  and  persuad¬ 
ing  others  to  l)e  your  friend.  That  is  mercenary,  and  not  provoca¬ 
tive  of  good  feeling  or  self-satisfaction. 

It  is  very  proper  to  be  friendly  with  every  one  from  the  stand¬ 
point  of  business,  for  then  you  gain  friendship  in  a  variety  of  pleas¬ 
ant  ways. 

There  is  always  social  intercourse  to  be  considered.  You  want 
friends  for  that;  indeed,  if  you  have  none,  you  are  in  a  bad  way, 
and  apt  to  wander  off  into  by-paths  that  are  shady  and  disreputable. 
With  a  friend  by  your  side  you  have  a  guide  and  adviser. 


Hbip  Your  Fellow  Man 


You  are  not  put  here  on  earth  for  your  own  sole  benefit.  There 
are  others  with  the  same  rights  and  privileges  to  enjoy  the  things 
of  life  as  well  as  yourself.  This  is  important  to  remember. 

Now,  if  you  help  your  fellow  man  to  maintain  his  rights,  do  you 
not  see  that  you  are  laying  the  foundation  for  help  to  maintain  your 
own? 

If  you  trample  on  any  person  you  must  expect  to  he  trampled 
upon  in  your  turn,  and  then  away  go  your  rights,  and  trouble  ensues. 

If  you  help  your  friends  and  neighbors  in  their  need,  you  are 
opening  the  way  to  be  a  success  in  whatever  you  may  undertake. 
Under  such  circumstances,  men  will  swear  by  you,  and  if  you  can¬ 
not  be  helped  by  them — there  being  some  things  that  are  too  deep 
to  be  aided,  sorrow  for  instance — you  will  at  least  have  their  sym¬ 
pathy,  good  will  and  countenance  in  your  undertakings. 

Let  all  your  dealings  and  intercourse  with  your  fellow  men  be 
based  upon  mutuality.  There  is  a  proverb  which  may  not  be  inappro¬ 
priate,  which  says,  ‘  ‘  Molasses  catches  more  flies  than  vinegar.  ’  ’  Of 
course,  helping  your  neighbor  out  of  his  difficulties  or  even  sympa¬ 
thizing  with  him  in  his  sorrows  or  grief,  is  a  sweetness  to  him  and 
to  you. 

Every  kind,  every  good  act,  has  a  reciprocal  effect.  It  may  not 
he  done  out  of  whole  heartedness,  and  there  may  be  a  grain  of  selfish¬ 
ness  in  it,  but  the  principle  is  there,  and  often  repeated,  it  becomes 
a  second  nature  to  act  like  the  Good  Samaritan  without  hope  of 
reward. 

Nevertheless  there  is  always  a  reward  more  or  less  substantial. 


TBke  Counsel  of  Your  Best 
Frionds 


It  is  as  old  as  the  hills  that  “Two  heads  are  better  than  one.” 

It  is  true  that  every  man  has  two  feet,  two  hands,  two  eyes,  two 
ears,  and  so  on,  but  only  one  head.  Things  do  not  seem  to  balance 
with  only  one  thing,  so  to  complete  the  balance  it  is  the  height  of 
policy  to  have  two  heads.  Why  not? 

But  one  of  the  two  heads  is  that  of  your  best  friend  who  can 
advise  you  when  your  one  head  is  apt  to  go  astray  in  some  important 
step  or  undertaking. 

You  may  not  follow  the  advice  of  your  friend,  but  he  may  give 
you  an  idea  that  will  save  you  from  making  mistakes  leading  to 
failure. 

Solomon  says:  “Without  counsel  purposes  are  disappointed.” 

But  you  must  take  counsel  of  your  friends;  not  of  the  ungodly, 
or  those  who  may  take  advantage  of  you  to  counsel  you  wrong  for 
their  own  purpose. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  you  have  friends,  if  not  make  some  imme¬ 
diately,  because  you  will  always  need  them.  Now,  when  you  have 
a  friend  go  to  him  and  counsel  with  him,  and  stick  to  him  closer 
than  to  a  brother.  You  should  not  give  all  your  ideas  away  or  con¬ 
sult  with  everybody  about  your  affairs.  You  should  keep  close 
mouthed  about  them,  but  when  you  are  in  doubt  consult  a  friend. 
We  repeat:  consult  a  FKIEND,  not  one  who  calls  himself  your 
friend,  and  wants  to  borrow  money,  or  use  you  for  a  purpose,  but  a 
real  friend  upon  whom  you  can  rely. 

Such  a  counselor  will  not  betray  you,  but  will  be  your  other 
head  and  study  your  needs  and  help  you  in  your  troubles. 

The  word  “friend”  is  a  high  and  noble  word  and  possesses  a 
meaning  not  common  to  other  relations  between  man  and  man. 
Thus,  Abraham  was  the  “Friend  of  God.” 


SELECT  YOIJR  OWN  COMPANY 


“A  man  is  known  by  the  company  he  keeps.” 

This  is  a  proverbial  saying  and  it  is  a  true  one. 

You  have  only  one  life  to  live,  and  you  must  be  as  careful  of 
that  life  as  a  man  is  of  his  gold. 

Good  companions  help  you  on  the  upward  path;  evil  compan¬ 
ions  drag  you  down.  Men  possess  free  will,  but  a  misuse  of  it  brings 
speedy  punishment. 

Opportunity  meets  you  and  asks;  “Who  are  your  companions?” 

Not  being  able  to  deceive  Opportunity,  you  tell  the  truth  and 
answer:  “Oh,  I  go  around  with  the  boys.  We  stand  around  the 
street  corners ;  smoke  cigarettes ;  hang  around  the  billiard  and  pool 
rooms;  play  craps  occasionally,  and  — ” 

But  Opportunity  does  not  wait  to  hear  any  more,  it  vanishes  and 
keeps  away  from  you,  leaving  you  free  to  follow  your  own  head. 

It  has  come  to  be  a  test  of  quality  made  by  every  employer,  to 
judge  an  applicant  by  the  company  he  keeps. 

‘  ‘  Tell  me  who  your  companions  are  and  I  will  tell  you  who  you 
are.  ’  ’ 

There  is  no  mind  reading  about  this,  it  is  common  sense. 

In  these  days  when  there  is  so  much  vice  and  crime ;  when  men 
have  become  suspicious  of  their  next  door  neighbor,  a  wise  man  is 
careful  whom  he  trusts.  If  you  associate  with  an  element  that  is 
suspicious  you  can  not  complain  if  you  are  yourself  suspected. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  go  about  with  your  hands  folded  in  an  atti¬ 
tude  of  prayer,  or  pretend  to  be  overly  virtuous  and  honest,  all  you 
need  is  to  be  a  man,  open  and  above  board,  and  decent  in  your  asso¬ 
ciations  with  others. 


KEEP  YOUR  NERVE 


Most  of  our  troubles  are  imaginary,  nine-tenths  of  them  never 
coming  to  us  as  we  expected.  They  are  mostly  matters  of  nerve 
weakness. 

We  start  something  during  the  day,  and  lay  awake  at  night 
worrying  for  fear  it  may  not  turn  out  successfully.  We  brood  over 
phantoms  and  scarecrows,  for  that  is  what  most  of  our  worries  are. 

If  you  have  started  anything  right,  and  your  conscience  is  at 
rest,  why  do  you  worry?  There  is  no  reason  for  it. 

Or  if  you  have  used  your  best  judgment  and  made  your  best 
effort  to  make  your  venture  a  success,  go  to  rest,  put  your  trust  in 
God  and  you  will  sleep. 

The  man  who  loses  his  nerve  in  the  middle  of  a  railroad  or  any 
place  where  there  is  danger,  comes  to  grief.  The  life  on  earth  is  a 
road  full  of  pitfalls  and  unpleasant  things,  many  of  them  as  dan¬ 
gerous  as  a  railroad  train  bearing  down  upon  us. 

If  you  keep  your  nerve,  you  simply  get  out  of  the  way  of  the 
locomotive,  or  of  the  runaway  horse,  or  the  automobile,  and  keep 
on  living. 

So  it  is  In  your  everyday  transactions.  Keep  out  of  the  way  of 
things  than  may  undo  you.  Step  aside  and  let  them  pass  by.  Every¬ 
thing  works  for  good  in  this  world,  what  you  do  not  accomplish 
some  other  man  does,  and  it  helps  you  because  everything  is  along 
parellel  lines. 

Where  a  thing  is  unavoidable,  or  inevitable,  why  then  it  is  fool¬ 
ish  to  worry,  and  shows  poor  control  of  your  nerves. 

Put  your  trust  in  God,  follow  the  straight  path,  and  stiffen  up 
your  nerves. 


12— L  S 


177 


1 


STUDY  YOUR  HEALTH 


The  ancients  said  that  there  can  not  be  a  healthy  mind  in  an 
unhealthy  body.  And  they  established  this  rule  for  all  to  follow: 
“Keep  your  body  healthy  and  your  mind  will  be  healthy.” 

By  a  healthy  mind  is  meant  a  calm,  cool,  clear,  active  brain 
that  can  act  up  to  its  full  capacity  without  faltering,  or  falling  down 
at  trifles. 

To  have  that  sort  of  brain,  you  must  preserve  your  bodily  health. 

One  patent  way  to  lose  your  bodily  health  is  to  acquire  bad 
habits  of  any  kind  that  you  know  are  bad  for  you. 

You  have  a  headache  in  the  morning,  and  no  appetite.  It  does 
not  require  a  Solomon  to  tell  what  ails  you.  You  have  been  drink¬ 
ing,  carousing,  staying  up  late  instead  of  going  to  bed  and  getting 
your  necessary  sleep. 

You  have  eaten  things  that  do  not  agree  with  you,  and  so  you 
must  see  a  doctor.  Besides  that,  you  are  too  sick  to  go  to  work. 

All  you  have  to  go  upon  in  this  world  are  your  health  and 
your  mind.  It  does  not  matter  what  you  do  for  a  living,  you  must 
keep  your  wits  about  you  all  the  time,  and  you  can  not  do  this  unless 
you  keep  your  health. 

The  mind  is  so  closely  connected  with  the  body  that  what  affects 
one  affects  the  other,  favorably  or  unfavorably. 

Eat  proper  food,  something  that  you  know  by  experience  will 
agree  with  you.  Take  your  accustomed  sleep,  and  exercise  your 
muscles  to  keep  your  nerves — those  nerves  that  spread  up  into  the 
brain — in  full  play  and  ready  for  emergencies. 

A  healthy  man  does  not  worry;  he  is  an  optimist  and  looks  at 
the  bright  side  of  life.  An  unhealthy  man  is  a  pessimist  and  sees 
things  through  a  dark  cloud.  He  ends  by  running  down  at  the 
heels,  and  ceases  to  possess  any  economical  functions. 


MAKING  ONE  HAND  WASH  THE 
OTHER 


It  is  a  good  commercial  and  business  maxim:  “Make  one  hand 
wash  the  other.” 

There  are  little  delicate  attentions  shown  men  to  induce  them  to 
do  you  a  favor.  It  is  not  exactly  doing  to  others  as  you  would  have 
others  do  to  you,  but  you  do  something  for  a  person  in  the  expecta¬ 
tion  that  he  will  do  something  for  you.  This  is  the  origin  of  the 
saying. 

Politeness,  forbearance  and  social  amenities  are  the  rule  in  these 
days,  and  it  is  the  best  policy  to  assume  that  distinction  even  if  you 
do  not  feel  that  way. 

'The  propensity  for  making  one  hand  wash  the  other  is  more 
apparent  in  commercial  and  trade  transactions  than  in  any  other.  It 
is  in  these  occupations  that  the  eye  beholds  dollars  or  doughnuts 
at  the  end  of  a  string,  and  a  gentle  pulling  in  the  way  of  attention 
and  brotherly  reciprocation  will  bring  the  dollars  or  doughnuts 
within  reach. 

Bears  and  dogs  growl  and  get  nasty  whenever  they  feel  like 
it  regardless  of  consequences,  for  they  live  in  the  present  entirely 
and  nothing  is  of  any  importance  to  them  on  the  morrow.  They  do 
not  even  know  enough  to  lay  in  a  supply  of  provisions  for  a  rainy 
day.  A  squirrel  will  do  that,  but  squirrels  are  not  quarrelsome, 
they  are  friendly  and  gentle,  they  make  one  paw  wash  the  other. 
Watch  one  of  them  grab  for  a  nut,  get  it,  and  beg  prettily  for 
another. 

We  must  provide  for  a  rainy  day,  and  if  we  are  in  business  we 
must  have  friends  and  customers  to  fall  back  upon  for  shelter. 
Waiting  until  the  rain  sets  in  and  then  beginning,  fails — it  is  then 
too  late,  at  least  for  that  day,  but  by  beginning  you  will  perhaps  be 
ready  for  the  next  rainy  day. 


SUPERSTITION  AND  LUCK 


More  people  are  superstitious  than  are  willing  to  admit  the 
fact.  From  bygone  ages  to  modern  times,  both  high  and  low,  rich 
and  poor,  educated  and  ignorant,  have  yielded  to  some  curious 
vein  of  fancy  that  leads  them  to  expect  “luck”  or  success  more 
readily  if  certain  whimsical  conditions  are  complied  with.  Who  has 
not,  at  some  time,  felt  the  power  of  one  or  another  of  the  odd  ideas 
that  seem  to  have  such  a  firm  hold  on  the  mind  of  man?  Laugh  it 
off  as  we  will,  declare  it  nonsense  as  we  know  it  to  be,  still  there  is 
the  tendency  to  put  an  unreasoning  half-belief  in  it. 

Do  we  not  all  know  those  who  are  nervous  with  fear  if  salt  iS 
spilled;  who  would  go  without  a  meal  rather  than  be  one  of  thir¬ 
teen  at  table;  who  never  begin  any  important  work  on  a  Friday; 
who  are  careful  to  take  their  first  sight  of  the  new  moon  over  their 
right  shoulder  instead  of  the  left;  who  rejoice  in  the  finding  of  a 
four-leaved  clover? 

“Luck”  is  a  plant  that  grows  from  the  seed.  And  the  seed 
sown  is  the  kind  of  thoughts  we  entertain;  ideas  about  ourselves, 
about  God,  about  our  work,  and  about  the  rest  of  the  world. 

Thoughts  can  be  chosen.  If  we  think  ourselves  weak  and 
inferior,  we  invite  failure;  because  then  the  work  that  we  do  will 
not  be  our  best,  and  will  be  surpassed  in  value  by  that  of  others. 

If  we  think  instead,  “I  can  do  this  work  better  than  it  has 
ever  been  done  before — and  I  will,”  the  seed  will  grow  and  bear 
fruit  in  results  to  ourselves  and  others. 


GOOD  AND  BAD  LUCK 


Your  success  in  life  never  depends  i;pon  the  turn  of  a  card  or 
the  dice.  You  can  neither  dream  yourself  into  good  lixck,  nor  dream 
yourself  out  of  bad  luck. 

Good  luck  keeps  company  only  with  industrious,  thrifty  and 
honorable  people  who  have  faith  in  themselves,  faith  in  their  fellow 
men,  and  faith  in  God. 

Even  then,  luck  will  disappear  like  smoke  in  a  Avind  unless  you 
can  also  demonstrate  that  you  possess  wisdom,  patience  and  cour¬ 
age. 

What  you  think  is  good  luck,  may  keep  company  with  you  for 
a  short  time,  but  will  speedily  desert  you  if  jmu  do  not  make  good. 

The  dictionary  says  “Luck”  means  “that  which  happens  a  per¬ 
son;  chance;  accident;  good  fortune;  success.” 

In  your  luck  you  should  keep  away  from  the  element  of 
“chance”  or  “accident.”  Let  your  luck  depend  upon  your  own 
efforts,  and  take  things  by  the  forelock  and  make  them  come  your 
way.  Things  will  happen  you  just  as  you  intend  they  shall. 

There  is  really  no  such  thing  as  had  luck,  for  if  a  thing  does 
not  happen  because  of  your  mistakes,  it  is  not  bad  luck  hut  mistake. 

Try  as  you  may  to  reach  a  certain  result,  and  failing,  you  say 
you  had  bad  luck.  You  merely  did  not  know  hoAv  to  sxiceeed  or  Averit 
too  far,  or  reached  out  for  more  than  you  could  handle.  That  is 
not  bad  luck,  it  is  mismanagement.  You  might  have  succeeded  if 
you  had  managed  properly. 

Chance  must  he  kept  out  of  the  Avay  or  you  Avill  flounder  about 
in  a  swamp  whose  quicksands  Avill  engulf  you  sooner  or  later. 


BE  SLOW  TO  ANGER 


The  Scripture  says;  “He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than 
the  mighty.” 

We  are  also  advised  not  to  let  the  sun  go  down  on  our  wrath. 

If  we  desire  to  succeed  in  any  enterprise  we  must  “possess  our 
souls  in  patience.”  In  Luke  XVI,  19,  it  is  explained:  “In  your 
patience  possess  your  souls.” 

We  are  nowhere  advised  not  to  he  angry,  hut  to  possess  our 
souls  in  our  anger.  That  is:  Never  let  anger  get  the  better  of  our 
control. 

In  Ephesians  IV,  26,  it  is  said :  “Be  ye  angry  and  sin  not ;  let  not 
the  sun  go  down  upon  your  wrath.  ’  ’ 

This  is  the  key  to  what  is  known  as  “temper.”  It  is  the  part 
of  a  wise  man  to  control  his  temper.  Not  to  have  any  temper  at 
all  is  to  be  one  whom  Col.  Roosevelt  calls  “a  mollycoddle,”  and  such 
a  person  is  truly  weak  and  without  any  backbone. 

But  the  anger  or  the  temper  which  leads  to  violence  is  to  be  con¬ 
trolled  absolutely.  Those  sudden  gusts  of  passion  lead  to  crime  as 
sure  as  the  sun  rises  and  sets  every  day.  And  it  is  always  personal 
violence,  even  to  the  extent  of  murder  that  is  the  result  of  giving 
way  to  such  an  emotion.  No  one  ever  becomes  violently  angry 
because  he  is  not  a  good  man. 

If  a  man  stands  up  in  his  manhood,  and  despises  small  things,  he 
will  be  in  a  position  to  control  his  angry  feelings  no  matter  how 
much  he  may  feel  hurt  by  the  acts  of  another. 

If  we  could  get  angry  with  ourselves  because  we  do  not  improve, 
that  would  be  an  anger  worth  cultivating.  But  so  far  as  others  are 
concerned,  let  your  anger  be  mild  and  never  reach  the  point  of 
resentment,  for  that  always  leads  to  revenge  which  is  a  fatal  emotion. 

If  others  are  the  cause  of  anger  to  us,  keep  away  from  them, 
and  if  we  must  associate  with  them,  keep  cool  and  bide  your  oppor¬ 
tunity. 


PRACTICE  LOGIC,  COMMON 
SENSE  AND  TACT 


When  a  man  can  give  a  good  reason  for  what  he  does  he  prac¬ 
tices  logic.  Not  excuses  for  doing  what  he  should  not  do,  but  REA¬ 
SONS  why. 

When  he  gives  good  reasons,  and  follows  the  universal  practice 
of  other  men  under  the  same  circumstances,  he  practices  common 
sense. 

When  he  does  things  in  a  quiet,  unobtrusive,  and  agreeable  man¬ 
ner,  so  that  other  men  are  satisfied  with  his  way,  he  practices  tact. 

These  three  qualities  are  badges  of  success  among  every  nation 
and  in  every  occupation,  trade,  or  profession. 

The  business  and  professional  resourcefulness  of  every  man  is 
not  measured  upon  the  quantity  of  his  learning,  or  his  high  pro¬ 
ficiency,  but  according  to  his  ability  to  apply  what  he  knows  to  the 
matter  in  hand. 

A  man  may  be  able  to  measure  the  stars,  and  yet  not  be  able  to 
saw  a  board  straight.  Such  a  man  may  know  much  but  he  makes  a 
poor  carpenter. 

A  man  should  reason  with  himself  as  to  the  best  way  of  doing 
anything,  and  then  do  it,  giving  good  reasons  for  it. 

Common  sense  is  good  judgment  applied  to  the  every  day  things 
of  life,  and  tact  is  doing  those  things  without  disturbing  others  or 
by  considering  their  feelings  with  as  much  care  as  you  do  your  own. 

To  use  a  common  expression :  “You  have  got  to  worm  things  out 
of  the  world,  but  you  must  do  it  as  gently  as  inserting  a  corkscrew 
in  a  stubborn  cork.” 


ENCOURAGE  OTHERS 


When  you  encourage  others  to  go  ahead  with  what  they  are 
doing,  with  a  cheery  word  or  a  pleasant  smile,  you  are  laying  up 
treasure  for  yourself.  For  the  man  you  encourage  will  encourage 
you,  and  heaven  knows  we  all  need  encouragement. 

Many  men  stand  on  the  verge  of  a  precipice  of  indecision,  not 
being  able  to  decide  whether  they  should  draw  back  or  fall  over. 

It  is  not  help  these  men  want  so  much  as  it  is  encouragement. 
They  are  able  to  help  themselves  but  they  haven’t  the  nerve,  and 
you  give  them  a  word  of  cheer  or  encouragement,  and  they  get  right 
with  themselves  and  their  work. 

If  a  man  starts  into  business  and  you  can  trade  with  him,  do  so, 
and  that  will  encourage  him  to  go  ahead  and  strive  to  be  successful. 

He  may  be  a  beginner  at  manufacturing  something  for  the  use 
of  others.  Tell  him  how  his  work  or  productions  are  well  received, 
or  take  one  yourself  and  use  it  even  if  you  do  not  want  it.  You 
encourage  him  to  go  on,  and  by  and  by  you  may  be  in  a  position 
where  you  will  need  a  little  encouragement,  then  he  will  remember 
you. 

It  is  customary  for  the  unthinking  to  imagine  that  they  must 
do  something  big  or  great  in  order  to  expect  returns,  but  this  is  a 
mistake.  We  show  our  greatness  in  little  things,  because  we  know 
that  many  little  things  make  up  a  great  thing.  The  more  small 
things  we  do  the  greater  will  be  the  accumulation  in  the  end. 

Do  not  patronize  any  man  or  he  will  repulse  your  approach; 
you  must  encourage,  which  is  far  different  from  patronizing.  By 
assuming  a  patronizing  air  you  assume  a  superiority  which  is  dis¬ 
liked. 

This  is  an  age  of  small  things  that  go  to  make  up  big  things, 
and  we  must  fall  in  with  the  conditions  of  the  age  in  which  we  live 
and  expect  to  do  business. 


HOW  TO  LEARN  SELF-CONTROL 

To  master  the  feelings  the  head  and  the  heart  should  work 
together. 

All  of  our  emotions  may  be  said  to  come  from  the  heart,  and 
the  latter  is  set  in  motion  by  the  will  power  which  is  the  head. 

There  are  times  when  a  man  feels  like  “boiling  over”  as  it  is 
called,  but  policy  and  good  judgment  warn  him  to  keep  within 
bounds. 

It  is  always  our  sentiments  or  feelings  and  emotions  that  need 
a  curbing  hand,  our  opinions  can  take  care  of  themselves. 

Where  our  feelings  and  our  mind  go  together  there  is  no 
trouble,  for  then  duty  and  inclination  go  together.  But  where  our 
feelings  are  not  regulated  and  controlled,  they  become  unstable  and 
shifting.  Like  the  winds  that  blow  where  they  list  and  whither  no 
man  can  tell,  our  lack  of  self  control  may  drive  us  to  the  most  vio¬ 
lent  acts.  We  become  the  sport  of  chance  desires  and  vagrant 
impulses. 

Control  is  essential  because  from  our  ill-regulated  acts  much 
injustice  and  harm  may  be  done,  not  only  to  ourselves  but  to  others. 

A  man  who  stands  above  whim  and  caprice  is  a  superior  in 
strength  to  a  man  who  permits  his  caprices  to  direct  him. 

What  we  call  character  has  its  emotions  and  passions,  its  affec¬ 
tions  and  intense  sympathies,  but  mastered  and  controlled  into  a 
whole  of  outward  justice  and  fairness. 

The  true  freeman  fights  himself  free  from  blind  feeling  and 
impulse ;  he  is  a  happy  warrior  and  fights  on  a  battlefield  where  his 
convictions  and  emotions  are  a  unit. 

The  Martyrs  possessed  such  self  control  that  burning  at  the 
stake,  or  limbs  torn  by  savage  beast  did  not  wring  a  note  of  pain 
from  them.  “But,”  you  say,  “that  was  Divine  strength.”  Of 
course,  and  any  one  who  desires  the  same  Divine  strength  to  aid  him 
control  his  emotions,  may  have  it  for  the  asking. 


185 


liysi 


DON’T  BE  A  DREAMER 

Waste  no  Time  Dreaming  of  the  Past 

You  are  living  in  the  present  preparing  for  the  future.  The 
past  is  dead  and  you  should  let  the  past  bury  the  past. 

The  man  who  dreams  of  the  past  and  forgets  his  future,  is  like 
a  man  who  rises  in  the  morning  not  of  today  but  of  yesterday.  He 
is  going  backward  when  his  face  is  put  in  front  pointing  always 
forward. 

Life  is  too  short  to  be  wasted  in  vain  regrets  for  what  has 
transpired  in  the  past.  Even  yesterday  is  ancient  history  and  best 
forgotten. 

We  have  work  to  do  in  the  present  to  perfect  or  accomplish 
something  in  the  future ;  it  is  our  time  of  grace,  given  us  to  grasp  at 
opportunities  as  they  come  before  us. 

While  you  are  lamenting  an  opportunity  that  escaped  you 
yesterday,  a  better  one  comes  along  today  and  passes  us  unnoticed. 

There  is  too  much  of  this  sort  of  sorrow  experienced  by  the 
people  of  the  earth,  but  when  it  comes  to  a  man  with  an  occupation, 
a  business  man  or  a  young  man  getting  ready  for  business,  it  is 
positively  foolish  and  detrimental. 

We  know  that  it  has  been  the  practice  of  people  in  all  times 
to  fret  and  worry  about  the  things  of  the  past,  for  there  are  numer¬ 
ous  sayings  cautioning  them  against  it.  One  of  them  is  very  appro¬ 
priate :  “Never  cry  over  spilled  milk.”  It  is  gone  and  can  not  be 
restored. 

Many  persons  may  have  what  is  called  a  “skeleton”  in  his 
closet,  but  it  does  not  do  him  nor  his  friends  any  good  service  to 
keep  rattling  its  bones  continually. 

If  you  have  been  very  wrong  in  the  past,  repent  and  begin  over 
again. 


DON’T  BE  BASHFUL 


There  are  many  persons  who  stand  in  their  own  way  to  success 
by  their  timidity,  or  bashfulness. 

Such  people  are  too  self-conscious,  and  betray  their  lack  of  self- 
confidence  which  is  regarded  as  an  evidence  of  ignorance,  or  at  least, 
inability  to  perform  the  duties  they  aspire  to  impose  upon  them¬ 
selves. 

Every  man  is  better  acquainted  with  himself  than  anybody  else, 
but  when  he  relies  upon  the  knowledge  of  others  as  superior  to  his 
own  knowledge,  he  loses  the  respect  of  his  fellows,  and  finally  loses 
his  own  respect  and  becomes  bashful  in  their  presence. 

You  should  cultivate  courage  and  exhibit  symptoms  of  self- 
confidence,  for  by  that  means  you  show  others  that  you  are  willing 
to  “dare”  and  venture  a  trial  of  your  capacity. 

If  you  are  too  timid  and  have  no  confidence  in  yourself,  you 
must  not  expect  others  to  take  you  except  at  your  own  valuation. 

There  is,  however,  such  a  thing  as  being  over-confident  and 
brazen,  which  is  the  extreme  of  timidity,  and  becomes  boastfulness. 

Men  have  a  way  of  studying  each  other  and  judging  from  their 
own  standpoint,  and  if  they  perceive  any  timidity  or  bashfulness, 
they  judge  against  you  as  incompetent.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
quickly  see  beneath  the  surface  of  boasting,  and  reach  the  same 
opinion. 

Be  self-confident,  and  gentlemanly  about  it,  for  so  you  will  pull 
through  any  opportunity,  besides  making  hosts  of  friends  in  a  busi¬ 
ness  and  social  way. 

Look  a  man  straight  in  the  eye,  but  do  not  try  to  look  him  down. 


DON’T  BE  UNDECIDED 


A  man  who  can  not  make  up  his  mind  to  do  or  not  to  do  a  thing 
without  a  great  deal  of  wobbling  first  one  way  and  then  another,  is 
as  bad  as  an  unsafe  Avail  in  a  building — everybody  keeps  off  lest  it 
fall  and  do  some  damage. 

When  a  man  has  first  carefully  considered  a  project,  or  a  cer¬ 
tain  line  of  action,  and  also  taken  the  advice  of  his  friends  if  the 
matter  is  important,  he  should  decide  one  way  or  the  other  at  once. 

A  wobbly  man  is  weak-kneed,  and  not  to  be  depended  upon 
for  any  purpose. 

If  you  have  ever  had  dealings  with  that  kind  of  a  man  you  Avill 
understand  how  painful  it  is  to  wait  for  him  to  decide. 

A  man  at  a  cross  roads  hesitates  and  says:  “Shall  I  go  this 
way  or  that?”  He  hesitates,  starts,  returns,  starts  the  other  way, 
and  finally  goes  the  wrong  way  and  falls  into  a  hole. 

It  has  passed  into  a  proverb  that,  “He  who  hesitates  is  lost.” 

Of  course,  there  is  reason  and  judgment  to  be  observed  in  every¬ 
thing,  for  things  should  not  be  done  at  random,  but  when  there  are 
common  sense,  education,  and  good  counsel  to  guide  you,  to  hesitate 
then  is  to  go  wrong. 

It  should  not  take  a  man  long  to  decide  when  there  is  a  specu¬ 
lation  presented  him,  and  his  decision  should  be  obstinately  against 
the  speculation.  There  are  too  many  good  opportunities  to  succeed 
in  ventures  that  are  legitimate  to  touch  speculation.  It  is  in  the 
legitimate  field  of  operations  that  indecision  is  so  often  fatal. 

There  is  another  saying  applicable  to  this  subject:  “Be  sure 
you’re  right,  then  go  ahead.” 


DON’T  BE  TOO  BIG  FOR  YOUR 
BUSINESS 


Most  children  must  creep  before  they  can  walk.  The  reason 
is  because  they  are  not  sure  of  their  small  limbs  and  try  them  before 
venturing  to  depend  upon  them. 

When  the  child  can  walk  he  goes  right  ahead  and  walks  all  his 
life  without  fear  or  hesitation. 

It  is  the  same  in  every  line  of  business.  The  business  man  must 
know  just  where  he  stands  all  the  time,  and  he  must  begin  small  in 
order  to  learn  how  to  rely  upon  himself. 

You  are  looking  for  something  big,  large,  something  you  think 
commensurate  with  your  abilities.  Well,  then,  let  me  tell  you  that 
you  will  never  find  anything  to  suit  you.  You  are  inflated  with  your 
ability,  your  importance,  and  fail  to  see  the  small  things  at  your  feet 
and  within  your  reach  that  if  put  together  will  aggregate  the  very 
big  thing  you  want. 

You  aim  at  the  moon  and  feel  bad  because  you  do  not  hit  it. 
While  your  aim  may  be  perfectly  good  and  correct,  the  object  may 
be  too  far  off  for  you  to  hit,  or  else  you  must  work  yourself  within 
reach  of  it  and  then  you  will  hit  it. 

Small  beginnings  have  made  every  great  man  on  earth.  Out  of 
the  huts  and  squalid  cabins  of  the  world  have  issued  men  who  have 
conquered  the  world  of  arms  and  commerce. 

You  have  the  advantage  of  them  from  an  educational  point  of 
view,  and  think  you  must  be  saddled  upon  a  fiery  horse  before  you 
know  whether  you  can  ride  a  steady  going  one. 

The  millionaire  was  not  a  millionaire  when  he  started,  he  was 
an  obscure  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store  working  for  wages  that  you 
scorn.  Reduce  your  size  to  something  near  the  right  one  and  you 
will  see  things  differently  and  take  what  you  can  get  cheerfully, 
biding  your  time  to  reach  higher.  Let  your  hat  fit  your  head. 


DON’T  GET  DISCOURAGED 


One  of  the  greatest  causes  for  failure  in  life  is  discouragement. 
It  seems  to  be  an  element  in  the  life  of  every  man  to  be  up  one 
day  and  down  the  next. 

Wben  a  man  gets  up  it  is  possible  for  him  to  stay  up  by  hard 
work  and  persistence,  but  if  he  permits  himself  to  go  down  below  his 
balance  he  may  consider  himself  altogether  down-and-out. 

Failure  does  not  mean  that  you  will  not  succeed,  because  strug¬ 
gle  as  we  may  we  must  meet  failure  and  look  it  squarely  in  the  face. 

But  be  not  afraid  of  it,  take  hold  of  it  by  the  throat  and  compel 
it  to  work  to  your  advantage. 

The  lessons  learned  during  the  struggle  toward  success,  and  the 
ups  and  downs  of  the  road  are  valuable  and  stand  for  experience. 
When  a  driver  has  gone  over  a  hard  road  once,  he  knows  the  rocky 
portions  and  can  avoid  them  when  going  over  it  again. 

It  is  human  to  make  mistakes.  In  fact,  it  is  a  maxim:  “It  is 
human  to  err.” 

Knowing  this  to  be  inevitable,  why  repine,  or  be  discouraged? 

Follow  the  example  of  the  small  child  who  falls  and  picks  him¬ 
self  up  over  and  over  again.  By  and  by,  he  can  walk  without 
falling  down. 

Remember  this :  Every  dark  cloud  has  a  silver  lining.  You  see 
the  dark  side,  but  if  you  make  your  way  around  to  the  other  side 
you  will  see  the  sun  shining. 

Much  of  the  discouragement  is  caused  by  undertaking  more  than 
we  can  accomplish.  If  that  is  the  case,  then  by  leaving  off  a  little 
here  and  there  we  shall  soon  reduce  our  enterprise  to  a  success 
that  we  can  handle. 


DON’T  BE  PREJUDICED 


We  sometimes  dislike  a  man,  or  hate  him,  which  is  the  same 
thing,  because  he  possesses  certain  peculiarities  of  person  or  conduct 
which  are  different  from  ours,  or  has  ideas  that  are  different  from 
those  we  favor. 

The  man  may  be  a  perfect  stranger  to  us,  and  we  may  know 
nothing  about  his  environments  or  conditions  under  which  he  lives, 
or  the  reasons  why  he  differs  from  us — we  hate  him  all  the  same  and 
take  the  other  side  of  the  street  rather  than  meet  him  face  to  face. 

If  we  were  to  look  into  ourselves  we  might  believe  that  this  man 
we  dislike,  has  many  reasons  for  not  liking  us. 

We  show  prejudice  when  we  judge  any  man.  “Judge  not,  lest 
ye  be  judged,”  says  Christ.  You  are  not  the  judge  of  any  man’s 
conduct,  and  to  judge  him  entails  slander,  backbiting,  and  conspir¬ 
acies  to  his  undoing. 

You  throw  mud  at  another  man.  Why?  Is  it  not  because  you 
have  some  spots  yourself  and  want  to  draw  attention  away  from 
them? 

You  are  afraid  that  if  you  boost  the  other  man  up  you  will  lower 
yourself.  Hence  you  unload  upon  him  some  of  your  objectionable 
qualities  to  lighten  your  load. 

Every  man  who  does  this  admits  that  the  other  man  is  better 
than  he,  and  hopes  by  adding  his  faults  to  that  other  man,  to  reduce 
the  level  to  somewhere  near  a  balance.  But  experience  demon¬ 
strates  the  contrary. 

Even  if  a  man  should  be  as  bad  as  you  say  he  is,  it  is  not  your 
business  to  correct  him.  You  can  not  extract  the  fangs  of  a  rattle¬ 
snake  by  abusing  him. 

Look  out  for  your  own  destinies  and  leave  the  judgment  of  your 
fellow  man  to  the  judgment  seat  of  God,  where  it  belongs. 


DON’T  BE  SMALL  MINDED 


A  broad,  liberal  minded  man  is  beloved  by  all,  bnt  a  narrow, 
small  minded  man  is  an  object  of  dislike. 

You  do  not  have  to  squander  money  to  be  considered  broad 
minded,  or  be  extravagant  in  your  life  and  borne.  A  man  of  that  sort 
is  drawing  upon  his  future  to  use  up  in  the  present,  and  there  is  no 
greater  folly  than  this. 

In  all  your  dealings  with  your  fellow  men,  you  must  exhibit 
that  trait  of  open  mindedness  that  will  draw  men  to  you. 

If  you  stick  at  trifles  and  refuse  to  concede  a  point  to  another 
he  will  avoid  you  in  future  dealings. 

“Grab”  is  a  good  game,  you  say.  Very  well,  “you  shall  not  grab 
anything  belonging  to  me,”  and  everybody  says  the  same  thing. 
So  it  will  come  to  pass  by  and  by  that  there  will  be  nothing  for  you 
to  grab. 

Generosity  within  a  man’s  means  is  always  a  noble  trait,  and 
meets  with  the  approbation  of  every  man.  But  you  must  be  wise  in 
your  generosity  and  not  run  into  vain  glory,  or  phariseeism — which 
is  fancying  that  you  are  better  than  other  men  because  you  squander 
money.  Others  don’t  think  so,  they  call  you  “fool”  behind  your 
back. 

A  close-flsted,  penurious  man,  a  driver  of  hard  bargains,  is  al¬ 
ways  a  small  man,  and  everybody  is  on  the  look  out  for  a  chance  to 
beat  him  at  his  own  game,  and  they  generally  do. 

There  are  small  men  who  will  sell  you  large  eggs  by  the  pound, 
and  small  ones  by  the  dozen.  People  And  that  out  and  go  some¬ 
where  else  to  do  their  marketing. 

In  every  hill  of  potatoes,  there  are  some  small  ones — they  did 
not  grow  with  the  others,  and  they  are  also  cheaper  than  the  others. 
In  the  human  hill,  the  small  men  do  not  grow  like  the  large  ones, 
hence  they  are  cheaper. 

Do  not  be  a  small  potato,  be  a  large  one  and  sell  for  more. 


DON’T  WASTE  TIME 


Time  is  not  a  thing  to  be  wasted,  for  it  is  given  you  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  working  out  your  destiny. 

Time  does  not  belong  to  you,  it  is  a  loan  and  sometime,  perhaps 
before  you  are  ready,  the  loan  will  be  called  in. 

It  is  said  that  “Time  is  Money.”  This  is  not  to  be  understood 
as  meaning  dollars  and  cents,  but  as  something  valuable  to  you.  A 
drink  of  water  is  not  cash  money,  but  it  is  valuable  to  a  thirsty  man. 

The  proverb  “Waste  not,  want  not,”  is  as  applicable  to  time  as 
it  is  to  bread  and  meat,  clothing  or  money. 

Yet  we  are  wasting  time  when  we  stick  at  trifles,  embark  in 
trivial  things,  or  are  connected  with  something  not  worth  the  trouble 
of  exploiting. 

A  man  who  wastes  his  time  soon  acquires  a  reputation  for  being 
good  for  little  else  than  small  things,  a  trifling  character,  and  his 
wages  or  salary  is  gauged  upon  his  dawdling  peculiarities. 

Every  man  is  considered  as  large  as  the  things  he  does  and  no 
larger,  and  the  time  he  steals — yes,  steals  from  himself,  he  will  try 
to  steal  from  others. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  keep  in  constant  motion,  or  always  at 
work  to  save  time,  hut  idle  things,  trifling  matters,  idle  words  and 
silly  things  are  a  mere  waste  of  time. 

You  must  prepare  for  the  time  of  need,  the  time  of  trouble,  and 
generally  look  ahead  of  you,  and  you  can  do  this  only  by  not  wast¬ 
ing  your  present  time  of  action. 

There  will  come  a  period  when  time  shall  be  no  more ;  when  you 
will  look  back  and  sigh  over  wasted  moments. 

Take  time  to  be  cheerful,  for  amusement,  for  pleasure,  of  course. 
Such  things  are  good  for  the  soul  and  body,  and  the  time  is  not 
wasted  when  they  are  reasonable  and  decent. 


DON’T  DECEIVE  YOURSELF 


The  man  who  shuts  his  eyes  deliberately  and  walks  toward  a 
deep  hole  into  which  he  falls,  is  a  fool  and  does  not  deserve  sympathy 
or  help. 

But  the  man  who  deliberately  deceives  himself  and  uses  false 
arguments  to  bolster  up  some  bad  habit,  or  shady  dealing  with  his 
fellow  men,  is  working  dead  against  his  conscience,  and  drifting 
down  deep  in  the  human  scale.  He  is  an  object  of  contempt. 

You  get  the  better  of  a  man  by  some  trick  and  say  to  yourself: 
“Oh,  he  would  have  done  the  same  thing  to  me.” 

So  you  measure  yourself  by  others  ?  This  is  not  an  assertion  of 
manhood,  it  is  a  slavish  subjection  to  others  mentally. 

When  a  man  goes  wrong,  or  commits  a  wrong  act,  and  deceives 
himself  into  the  belief  that  he  was  right,  he  commits  moral  suicide, 
just  the  same  as  if  he  killed  himself. 

There  is  another  point  of  view  to  this  question:  If  you  could 
deceive  yourself  and  let  it  go  at  that,  there  might  be  no  harm  done 
except  to  your  own  self-respect,  but  in  deceiving  yourself  you  de¬ 
ceive  others  into  the  belief  that  you  are  honest  and  square.  Whereas, 
you  are  a  hypocrite. 

Others  will  find  you  out  very  soon,  and  then  you  may  as  well  shut 
up  shop,  for  all  the  business  and  trust  you  will  get. 

A  man  who  is  square  with  himself  will  be  true  to  everybody 
else.  This  makes  for  character,  and  character  is  all  a  man  has  on 
this  earth;  once  lost  it  can  never  be  regained.  You  see,  there  are 
too  many  people  on  earth  to  deal  with.  You  are  not  the  only  one, 
and  so  your  disappearance  will  not  make  even  a  small  ripple. 

Be  a  man  among  other  men,  and  be  true  to  yourself,  for  so  you 
will  gain  the  respect  and  good  will  of  all. 


194 


DON’T  HIDE  YOUR  FAULTS 


Confession  is  good  for  the  soul. 

This  does  not  mean  that  you  are  to  go  about  and  tell  everybody 
what  a  bad  man  you  are.  If  you  do  that,  they  will  soon  begin  to 
believe  you  and  keep  away  from  you. 

Where  there  is  smoke  there  is  always  some  kind  of  a  fire. 

When  you  are  wrong,  say  so  without  hesitation.  Nobody  is  per¬ 
fect,  and  all  men  have  their  faults. 

In  the  business  world  every  man  wants  to  know  every  other 
man,  then  it  will  be  safe  to  do  business  with  him.  But  you  can  not 
know  another  without  knowing  his  faults. 

Concealment  of  one’s  frailties  is  dangerous,  and  leads  to  harm 
if  you  are  found  out,  and  you  are  always  found  out.  You  are  a 
suspicious  character,  and  sometimes  suspicions  are  “as  strong  as 
proofs  of  Holy  Writ.” 

You  chew  cloves  to  hide  the  fact  that  you  have  taken  a  drink. 
Why  do  you  not  say  that  you  take  a  drink  occasionally  if  that  is 
the  fact,  and  not  try  to  hide  the  odor  of  the  drink  behind  cloves? 
Nobody  is  deceived,  and  you  get  the  reputation  of  being  a  steady 
drinker,  which  may  be  far  from  the  truth. 

You  apply  for  a  job,  and  you  are  asked:  “Do  you  drink?” 
Why  not  answer  bravelj^:  “No,  sir,  not  as  a  rule.  I  do  take  a  drink 
once  in  a  while,  but  will  not  do  so  anymore.”  Your  probable  em¬ 
ployer  says  to  himself:  “I  can  trust  this  man  because  he  does  not 
hide  his  faults,  but  confesses  them  and  intends  to  avoid  them.” 

It  is  so  with  other  faults  that  will  weigh  against  you  if  con¬ 
cealed  and  found  out. 


DON’T  BE  A  PESSIMIST,  BE  AN 
OPTIMIST 


A  pessimist  is  a  man  who  has  a  constant  grievance  against 
somebody  or  something. 

lie  is  forever  standing  in  his  own  light,  and  thinks  the  whole 
world  has  picked  him  out  to  be  the  scapegoat  for  everything  that  is 
bad. 

He  says;  “Everybody  and  everything  is  against  me  and  I  can 
not  succeed.  It’s  no  use  trying.” 

Before  you  give  up  to  despair,  friend,  bear  this  in  mind; 

You  say  you  have  not  the  same  opportunities  every  other  man 

has. 

You  will  not  believe  that  if  you  stop  to  think  a  moment. 

The  average  Colored  American  has  ten  times  the  opportunities 
his  father  had,  and  a  hundred  times  the  opportunities  his  grand¬ 
father  possessed. 

You  are  one  of  the  average  Colored  Americans,  perhaps.  Well 
then,  your  grandfather  had  no  opportunities  at  all.  If  he  had  one, 
he  was  not  permitted  to  grasp  it.  Your  father  had  more  opportuni¬ 
ties  than  his  father,  but  opportunities  were  just  beginning  to  show 
themselves. 

You  live  in  a  far  advanced  age  when  the  very  air  is  full  of  op¬ 
portunities,  and  yet  you  think  you  have  none. 

The  reason  why  you  are  a  pessimist  is  because  you  want  to  be. 
You  think  it  is  too  much  trouble  to  reach  out  and  take  the  oppor¬ 
tunities  offered  you,  sometimes  even  forced  upon  you. 

Instead  of  being  a  pessimist  you  ought  to  laugh  and  thank  God 
that  the  bright  side  of  life  is  always  turned  toward  you,  and  you 
can  see  it  by  merely  turning  your  eyes  in  its  direction. 

Keep  your  eyes  open ;  laugh  and  the  world  will  laugh  with  you ; 
weep,  and  you  weep  alone. 


DON’T  BE  A  COWARD 


It  is  cowardly  to  “dare”  do  a  wrong  thing  when  the  right 
course  would  take  real  moral  courage.  It  is  cowardly  to  “dare”  do 
a  foolish  thing  to  avoid  being  laughed  at  by  “the  other  fellows.” 

It  is  cowardly,  and  vulgar  as  well,  for  a  girl  to  let  herself  be 
drawn  into  a  silly  flirtation,  a  course  that  cheapens  her  own  womanly 
nature  and  makes  her  the  toy  of  the  moment,  just  because  “the  other 
girls  do  it.” 

It  is  cowardly  for  a  grocer  to  give  short  weight,  put  sand  in  his 
sugar  or  sell  cheap  substitutes  for  pure  food,  just  because  his  com¬ 
petitors  do. 

It  is  cowardly  for  a  lawyer,  merchant  or  other  business  man  to 
indulge  in  sharp  practices  because  others  in  the  same  line  of  business 
have  set  the  example. 

It  is  cowardly  for  a  woman  to  try  to  dress  more  extravagantly 
than  her  purse  will  permit,  to  keep  pace  with  her  neighbors.  And 
here  I  am  going  to  say  something  which  will  cause  some  eyes  to  open 
wide  in  astonishment — it  is  cowardly  to  deny  one’s  self  or  one’s  fam¬ 
ily  the  reasonable  comforts  of  life  when  they  can  be  afforded.  Some 
do  go  to  this  extreme  just  from  the  love  of  being  considered  “pru¬ 
dent.” 

Don’t  mind  what  the  “other  fellow”  says,  or  thinks,  in  these 
matters  that  concern  only  yourself  and  those  nearest  and  dearest. 
Live  so  as  to  make  the  very  most  and  highest  of  the  life  God  has 
given  you, — and  let  the  tongues  wag  as  they  will. 

Why  bless  you,  if  folks  couldn’t  talk  they  would  die — some  of 
them.  Let  them  talk  and  let  yourself  be  free  from  care  concerning 
what  they  say, — if  you  know  you  are  acting  from  principle.  Tastes 
differ.  Yours  is  as  apt  to  be  right  as  your  neighbor’s.  Live  your  own 
life — only  so  it  be  a  brave,  true,  sensible  one — and  let  the  other 
fellow  live  his. 


DO  NOT  SPEAK  EVIL  OF 
ANY  ONE 

When  you  speak  evil  of  another  you  assume  the  position  of  his 
judge  and  sentence  him  to  punishment  without  a  hearing. 

“Judge  not  lest  ye  be  judged.”  That  is  the  inhibition,  which  is 
a  command  inasmuch  as  it  contains  a  threat  of  punishment. 

When  you  speak  evil  of  a  man,  you  injure  him  if  what  you 
speak  of  him  is  not  true  and  you  make  yourself  a  spreader  of  false¬ 
hood. 

You  also  injure  his  reputation  which  is  not  in  your  keeping  but 
is  his  property.  You  steal  something  from  him  that  is  his  own  and 
to  which  he  has  a  right. 

You  blast  a  reputation  heedlessly  and  without  its  being  of  any 
value  to  you.  You  shut  it  out  for  life  from' all  that  it  holds  dear 
and  valuable.  For  what?  Perhaps  to  gratify  your  lust  for  gossip. 

You  wull  not  get  off  so  easily  as  you  think  by  ruining  or  at¬ 
tempting  to  ruin  another’s  reputation.  You  weaken  yourself.  The 
man  you  malign  has  friends  that  will  stand  by  him,  and  they  will 
become  your  enemies,  not  only  in  business  but  socially,  and  you  will 
soon  find  yourself  ostracized  from  respectable  people  and  sent  down 
to  associate  with  other  liars  like  yourself. 

Even  if  what  you  say  should  prove  to  be  true,  who  constituted 
you  the  judge?  As  already  said,  you  must  not  judge. 

One  way  of  hurting  a  man  is  to  misinterpret  his  acts.  How  do 
you  know  what  a  man’s  motives  are  in  any  case?  Every  man  looks 
into  a  mirror  and  sees  himself,  whence  he  interprets  according  to  his 
own  motives  under  the  same  circumstances.  As  it  is  commonly  put : 
“A  man  generally  judges  another  from  himself.” 

It  is  an  unwise  habit  to  fall  into,  and  should  be  avoided  lest 
others  see  us  as  we  see  others. 


DO  NOT  NEGLECT  YOUR 
PARENTS  OR  YOUR  FAMILY 


Every  man  is  judged  by  his  home  life. 

What  kind  of  a  son  are  you?  In  answering  this  question  which 
will  be  asked  to  determine  your  character,  the  only  answer  possible 
to  insure  favorable  consideration  is  “a  good  son.” 

The  home  life  of  the  nation  and  of  the  race  is  vital.  If  you  are 
a  home  preserver  or  a  home  builder,  your  station  in  life  is  assured. 

To  sum  up  the  requirements  you  should  stand  upon  the  platform 
open  to  the  eyes  of  all  men  as  a  good  son,  faithful  brother,  kind 
father,  helpful  friend,  and  a  good  citizen.  It  is  not  difficult.  Such 
virtues  come  to  be  a  habit  if  practiced  faithfully. 

It  is  easier  to  be  all  these  than  to  be  vicious,  and  wrong  with 
your  parents,  family,  and  relatives. 

“Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother  that  the  days  may  be  long  in 
the  land  which  I  will  give  thee.” 

Something  of  a  promise,  is  it  not?  It  is  a  promise  that  has  been 
strictly  kept  since  the  world  began. 

Your  mother  suffered  for  you;  your  father  struggled  for  you, 
and  you  can  not  repay  them  with  ingratitude.  You  may  be  higher 
than  they,  better  educated,  more  of  a  social  ornament,  but  you  are 
theirs,  and  only  the  vain,  foolish  and  wicked  would  neglect  them. 

It  does  not  pay  to  treat  them  with  contumely  and  scorn  because 
they  do  not  make  the  same  fine  appearance  you  do.  There  is  no 
man  or  woman  on  this  earth  of  higher  social  value  to  you  than  your 
parents. 

If  you  are  a  man  of  family,  remember  that  you  are  building  up 
a  posterity.  You  have  fulfilled  a  noble  mission,  the  greatest  on  earth. 
They  owe  you  something,  but  the  indebtedness  is  mutual,  you  owe 
them  much. 


Do  Not  Drink  Aloohoi 

Or  Form  Other  Bad  Habits 


Drink  is  the  curse  of  the  age,  and  it  has  been  truly  said  of  it 
‘  ‘  A  man  is  a  fool  who  will  put  that  in  his  mouth  which  will  steal  his 
brains.” 

The  habit  of  drinking  intoxicating  liquors  is  not  a  mere  personal 
vice,  it  is  public  and  affects  every  person  belonging  to  or  connected 
with  you. 

Looked  at  from  a  business  standpoint,  it  is  a  destroyer  of  op¬ 
portunity,  and  undermines  the  most  brilliant  prospects  in  life.  It 
leads  to  moral  and  physical  death. 

If  you  hope  to  win  you  must  not  drink  intoxicating  liquors,  it 
matters  not  whether  you  can  stand  them  or  not.  They  will  get  you 
finally,  besides  that,  nobody  wants  a  man  who  drinks. 

Drink  brings  on  other  habits  that  are  destructive  of  character 
and  opportunity.  A  man  who  gambles  wiU  drink.  Why !  Because 
he  knows  he  is  doing  something  he  should  not  do,  and  the  drink 
hardens  his  conscience.  The  hardening  process  continues  and  he 
forms  all  sorts  of  bad  habits.  The  more  he  forms  the  more  reckless 
he  becomes,  then  it  is  a  case  of  “Good  night”  to  everything  decent 
and  noble,  or  worth  having. 

There  are  few  cures  to  bad  habits.  They  become  diseases  in  the 
course  of  time,  and  fatal  diseases,  besides  encouraging  other  diseases 
by  reducing  the  resisting  power  of  the  body. 

There  is  a  preventive  to  all  bad  habits,  however,  and  only  one — ■ 
never  take  your  first  drink  of  intoxicating  liquor ;  never  gamble  for 
a  first  stake ;  never  taste  the  first  dose  of  cocaine  to  know  how  it  will 
affect  you.  In  other  words :  never  begin  a  bad  habit  and  it  can  not 
become  yonr  master  and  crowd  you  out  of  the  companionship  of  men. 


Do  Not  Be  a  Spendthrift 

The  man  who  squanders  his  hard  earned  money  is  an  enemy 
to  himself. 

By  squandering  money  is  meant  expending  it  for  something 
you  do  not  need  and  which  is  of  no  value,  use,  or  merit. 

“A  penny  saved  is  a  penny  earned”  is  a  well  kno^\^l  saying, 
also  ‘‘Take  care  of  the  pence  and  the  pounds  will  take  care  of 
themselves.” 

Don’t  imagine  it  looks  big  when  a  young  man  is  with  his  com¬ 
panions  and  throws  his  money  right  and  left.  Does  he  gain  their 
respect?  Never.  They  look  upon  him  as  a  fool  and  while  they 
are  willing  to  take  advantage  of  his  ‘‘liberality,”  it  will  always 
be  noticed  that  they  never  reciprocate.  They  are  wiser  than  he. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  be  a  miser  either,  for  that  is  the  other 
extreme  and  equally  as  reprehensible. 

No  man  should  live  on  crusts  and  hoard  away  his  money  for  some 
public  administrator  to  find  and  spend  in  fees  when  he  is  dead. 

Neither  can  a  man  -waste  his  money  and  expect  to  have  any 
left  for  the  rainy  day  that  always  comes  to  every  mortal.  Such 
a  man  says  when  he  is  too  old  to  earn  money,  and  is  kicked  about 
from  pillar  to  post  without  friends  or  companions:  ‘‘If  I  had  only 
saved  my  money  when  I  was  young,  I  might  be  a  rich  man  now.” 
That  is  quite  true,  but  you  wasted  your  money  and  you  have 
reached  the  end  of  your  chapter  in  life. 

"What  do  you  want  money  for  anyway?  You  can  live  on  bread 
'  and  water.  There  is  a  great  question  in  this  idea.  We  have 
needs;  we  have  rights  to  be  observed,  to  marry,  to  be  decent,  to 
live  in  healthy  places,  raise  a  family  and  educate  them.  All  these 
things  make  a  man,  an  American  citizen,  and  if  you  throw  away 
the  money  to  make  you  these  things,  then  you  can  not  become  any 
of  them.  In  that  ca.se  you  are — nothing.  Do  you  aspire  to  be  a 
nonentity? 


DON’T  BE  A  KICKER  OR  A 
KNOCKER 


If  a  man  keeps  on  complaining  about  things  in  general  and 
particular,  be  will  soon  be  thrown  out  of  decent  society. 

Grievances  and  troubles  come  to  every  man  in  this  world,  and 
every  man  knows  it  without  constantly  repeating  it.  He  has  his 
ovTi  troubles,  and  does  not  care  to  be  saddled  with  yours. 

This  is  a  good  old  earth  if  you  would  take  off  your  blue  spec¬ 
tacles  and  look  at  it  with  your  own  eyes. 

Some  men  are  so  dissatisfied  with  things  that  there  is  no 
pleasing  them,  but  if  you  attempt  to  take  from  them  the  things 
that  do  not  satisfy  or  please,  they  set  up  a  roar. 

When  there  is  a  wrong  to  be  righted,  some  right  to  be  pro¬ 
tected,  it  is  well  enough  to  complain,  but  there  are  numerous  per¬ 
sons  who  go  about  complaining  all  the  time.  When  it  is  not  one 
thing  it  is  another. 

These  persons  are  given  the  name  of  “kickers,”  and  when 
they  keep  it  up  they  are  deemed  “chronic  kickers.” 

It  is  sometimes  impossible  to  pass  these  people  by,  lest  a  really 
suffering  brother  human  be  denied  help.  But  they  become  known, 
and  should  be  avoided  for  the  sake  of  one’s  peace  of  mind. 

The  strong  man  will  bear  his  troubles  in  silence,  but  the  weak 
one  whines  about  them  and  fancies  they  are  the  worst. 

If  you  stop  to  consider  how  this  earth  would  get  along  with¬ 
out  you,  and  that  it  did  without  you  a  long  time,  perhaps  you 
would  quit  kicking  and  give  others  a  rest  from  your  complaints. 

A  little  kicking  may  be  useful,  but  too  much  of  it  lands  a  man 
outside  the  reach  of  opportunity. 


A  GOOD  WOMAN  THE  GLORY 

OF  MAN 

Man’s  Best  Friend  and  Counselor 

"When  God  created  Adam,  it  was  found  that  he  had  no  help¬ 
meet,  so  woman  was  created  to  be  his  companion. 

St.  Paul  says:  “The  woman  is  the  glory  of  man,”  and  still 
farther  elaborating  the  idea  of  the  helpmeet  says:  “Neither  is  the 
man  without  the  woman,  neither  the  woman  without  the  man,  in 
the  Lord.” 

That  is  as  much  as  saying  that  the  man  and  the  woman  must 
stand  side  by  side  in  this  world  as  companions  and  helpmeets 
toward  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

The  Holy  Scripture  is  full  of  allusions  to  good  women.  Thus: 
“A  virtuous  woman  is  a  crown  to  her  husband,”  2  Prov.  12,  4. 
“Her  price  is  above  rubies,”  Prov.  31,  10.  “Dorcas:  this  woman 
was  full  of  good  works  and  almsdeeds  which  she  did.” 

As  the  mother  of  the  Christ,  woman,  in  the  person  of  the  Vir¬ 
gin  Mary,  has  been  put  upon  a  high  pedestal  for  a  pattern  and  a 
model  to  all  good  women. 

Her  part  in  the  world  may  be  well  explained  by  the  words  of 
the  orator:  “The  hand  that  rocks  the  cradle  rules  the  world.” 

The  greatest  deference  and  respect  is  the  due  of  every  woman, 
since  she  is  the  mother  of  the  race,  and  its  guardian  and  protector 
when  in  the  helpless  period  of  infancy. 

The  most  beautiful  and  unanswerable  tribute  to  women  is 
paid  by  King  Lemuel  in  the  words  of  the  prophecy  that  his  mother 
taught  him.  It  is  to  be  found  in  Proverbs  31,  and  includes  the 
entire  chapter  of  31  verses. 


EDUCATE  YOUR  CHILDREN 


It  can  not  be  doubted  that  education  is  tbe  father  and  mother 
of  opportunity  and  success  in  life. 

You  may  know  this  from  your  O'wn  deficiencies,  therefore, 
give  those  belonging  to  you  a  chance  at  opportunity  and  success 
by  educating  them. 

You  bring  helpless  beings  into  the  world;  you  see  them  grow¬ 
ing  up  amid  modern  surroundings  that  demand  education,  and  it 
can  not  be  possible  that  you  will  permit  them  to  become  weeds  in 
the  human  garden — useless  incumbrances  to  be  thrown  out  upon 
the  garbage  heap. 

It  is  the  right  of  your  children  to  be  educated  to  fit  some 
sphere  in  life.  They  are  yours,  and  look  to  you  to  aid  them.  Be¬ 
sides,  whatever  you  do  to  educate  your  children  must  redound  to 
your  own  advantage. 

Some  people  are  jealous  because  their  children  know  more 
than  their  parents.  If  your  mind  runs  that  way  you  come  within 
the  condemnation : 

“He  that  provideth  not  for  those  of  his  own  household  hath 
denied  the  faith;  he  is  the  companion  of  the  destroyer.” 

Think  this  over  and  let  it  sink  into  your  mind. 

Your  children  want  things  you  did  not  have  when  you  were 
a  child,  and  therefore,  if  the  things  that  were  good  enough  for 
you  are  not  good  enough  for  your  children,  they  must  go  without. 
You  reason  like  a  cheese  that  is  full  of  blind  mites. 

We  are  progressing  far  beyond  the  dreams  of  your  youth, 
and  your  children  are  tied  to  the  car  of  progress.  You  must  not 
only  let  them  go  along  with  it,  but  you  must  help  them  to  keep  up 
with  the  procession.  They  are  confronted  by  opportunities,  and 
you  dare  not  blind  their  eyes  to  them.  Education  is  the  only  thing 
that  will  keep  their  eyes  wide  open  to  the  chances  of  life. 


THE  GOLDEN  RULE,  OR  THE  PRIN 
CIPLE  OF  LIVE  AND  LET  LIVE 


Life  is  a  natural  right  in  all  men,  and  it  is  inalienable. 

“The  Lord  is  not  willing  that  any  should  perish.” 

Under  our  constitutions  and  laws,  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit 
of  happiness  are  the  inalienable  rights  of  all  men. 

No  man  has  a  right,  under  any  sort  of  provocation  to  de¬ 
prive  another  of  his  life,  no  more  has  another  man  any  right  to 
deprive  us  of  life. 

There  is  an  eternal  balance  in  this  right  to  live,  and  an  eternal 
duty  on  our  part  to  let  our  fellow  man  live.  But  there  are  indi¬ 
rect  ways  of  accomplishing  another  man’s  death,  and  we  are  equally 
as  guilty  as  if  we  were  to  deprive  him  of  life  directly. 

A  mark  was  set  upon  the  murderer  Cain  lest  any  one  finding 
him  should  kill  him.  The  right  to  live  may  be  extended  over  all 
men,  the  sinner  as  well  as  the  saint,  even  the  murderer  is  marked 
so  that  his  right  to  live  shall  not  be  interfered  ^v'ith. 

"When  a  man  is  in  the  full  tide  of  vigorous  life,  his  impression 
is  that  he  has  more  right  to  live  than  the  weak,  decrepit  and  use¬ 
less,  but  there  is  no  such  difference — the  right  is  conferred  upon 
all. 

We  must  look  to  it  lest  we  so  act  as  to  deprive  another  of  this 
right  to  live,  for  though  we  may  not  actually  kill,  we  may  inter¬ 
fere  with  his  life  in  many  ways.  We  wrong  him  in  many  ways; 
destroy  his  character;  interfere  with  his  existence  in  business,  by 
slander,  and  often  “drive  another  to  the  wall,”  as  it  is  said.  But 
when  we  do  that  we  are  interfering  with  that  man’s  right  to  live, 
for  the  right  is  attached  to  everything  that  a  man  may  do.  I 
have  a  right  to  work,  but  you  say,  “Not  unless  you  do  as  I  say.” 
This  is  an  invasion  of  his  right  to  live. 

Every  man  orders  his  life  to  suit  himself,  it  is  his  life  and  no 
one  may  order  it  for  him.  The  Golden  Rule  is  here  exemplified: 
“Do  unto  others  as  you  would  have  others  do  unto  you.”  It  is  a 
good  and  safe  rule  to  follow  always. 


DON’T  GO  INTO  PARTNERSHIP  WITH 
“THE  DEVIL” 

It  may  be  true,  as  many  contend,  that  every  man  has  a  per¬ 
sonal  devil  within  him  that  goads  him  on  to  do  the  wrong  things 
at  the  right  time.  Any  person  who  has  that  sort  of  a  devil  can 
easily  get  rid  of  him  by  the  use  of  a  strong  will  and  determination. 

But  outside  of  him,  this  “Devil”  is  quite  an  institution  whose 
great  aim  seems  to  be  to  monopolize  you  and  everybody  else.  The 
feature  he  displays  is  a  willingness  to  go  into  partnership  with 
you  in  your  undertakings. 

He  will  make  suggestions  to  you  that  sound  plausible  and 
good,  and  his  promises  are  lurid.  But  beware  of  him,  he  is  work¬ 
ing  for  himself  and  not  you.  He  is  extremely  selfish  and  will  grab 
all  the  profits,  leaving  you  thrown  out  like  an  old  shoe  that  is  no 
longer  fit  to  wear. 

A  suggestion  of  wrong,  of  crooked  work,  of  something  that 
will  injure  your  fellow^  man,  that  will  best  him,  and  cause  him  to 
lose  money,  character,  friends,  or  honesty,  comes  from  this  outside 
Devil  who  wants  you  for  a  partner. 

In  a  partnership  the  partners  are  supposed  to  work  together 
for  the  common  interest,  but  with  the  Devil  as  a  partner  you  do 
all  the  work  and  he  takes  the  pot  of  gold. 

If  you  are  a  sterling,  upright  man,  and  insist  upon  being  so, 
you  may  and  probably  will  be  tempted  to  go  into  partnership 
with  the  Devil,  but  knowing  him,  you  will  flount  his  honied  words 
and  stick  to  your  uprightness.  By  and  by  he  will  leave  you  and 
you  will  win  your  way  and  enjoy  all  the  profits. 

In  baptism  you  renounce  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  Devil. 
The  world  ruins  you,  the  flesh  overcomes  you,  and  the  Devil  gets 
you.  This  is  the  usual  routine,  so  stand  by  your  baptismal  vows, 
they  are  wise. 


HONESTY  THE  BEST  POLICY 


Honesty  is  a  question  of  morals.  The  law  demands  that  all 
men  shall  be  honest,  but  the  maxim  says  it  is  the  “best  policy” 
to  be  honest. 

To  succeed  in  business  or  in  any  affairs  where  others  are 
concerned,  it  behooves  a  man  to  be  open  and  above  board  with 
every  one. 

The  truth  is,  that  a  dishonest  man  is  not  wanted  in  anything 
where  there  is  responsibility,  or  where  a  loss  may  result  through 
dishonesty. 

If  a  man  is  honest  with  himself,  it  is  probable  that  he  will  be 
honest  with  others.  In  this  respect,  honesty  is  like  charity:  “It 
begins  at  home,  but  does  not  end  there.” 

To  be  honest  does  not  mean  merely  that  a  man  is  not  to  steal 
another  man’s  money,  but  does  mean  that  every  man  should  be 
given  his  due,  whether  in  financial  matters  or  in  duty.  The  man 
who  half  does  his  work,  watches  for  the  clock  to  hasten  toward 
closing  time,  or  dawdles  when  haste  is  required,  is  not  honest, 
however  square  he  may  be  in  money  matters. 

The  trouble  is,  we  limit  all  our  morality  to  money,  and  imagine 
that  if  we  handle  money  carefully  and  without  loss  to  the  owner, 
we  are  honest. 

Even  taking  that  broad  view  of  the  virtue,  ^ye  are  robbing  a 
man  when  we  shirk  work,  do  it  badly,  or  pretend  we  can  do  a 
thing  we  can  not  do  in  a  proper  manner  and  take  his  money  for 
the  doing  of  it. 

To  be  honest  truly,  a  man  must  be  fair  in  everything  that 
pertains  to  his  fellows.  A  man  who  will  deliberately  lie  will  cheat. 

To  give  every  man  a  square  deal  is  to  be  honest. 


Do  As  You  Would  Be  Done  By 

It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  do  to  others  what  you  would  they 
should  do  unto  you,  when  they  are  not  following  this  rule  them¬ 
selves. 

When  Christ  enunciated  the  Golden  Rule  in  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  Matthew  7,  12,  he  announced  what  is  the  law  and  the 
prophets. 

“All  things  whatsoever  you  would  that  men  should  do  to  you, 
do  ye  even  so  to  them.” 

It  is  good  morals  and  also  contains  a  masterful  business  propo¬ 
sition.  The  reason  is,  because  it  is  a  moral  precept,  and  men  are 
inextricably  mixed  with  morals  in  all  their  transactions. 

We  can  not  be  guided  in  our  actions  by  what  other  men  do, 
except  in  a  general  way,  but  every  one  must  be  dependent  upon 
his  own  energies,  and  be  responsible  for  his  owoi  acts. 

If  we  were  to  do  as  other  men  do  to  us,  sometimes,  we  should  be 
apt  to  cause  a  breach  of  the  peace  or  commit  a  murder.  That  is 
conceded.  But  the  persistent  observation  of  this  rule  will  bring 
all  men  around  in  your  favor. 

There  is  reason  and  common  sense  to  be  observed,  however, 
in  the  observance  of  every  moral  precept.  Thus:  “Whosoever 
shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.” 

This  is  good  advice  coming  from  the  Great  Master,  but  it  is 
not  interpreted  as  meaning  that  your  cheeks  shall  be  turned  to¬ 
ward  the  smiter  as  long  as  he  chooses  to  strike.  There  comes  a 
time  when  the  precept  has  been  complied  with,  and  then  let  the 
smiter  bew’are,  for  a  defense  will  be  made. 

We  know  what  the  Savior  means  in  all  His  sayings.  He  incul¬ 
cates  peace  if  we  have  to  fight  for  it.  So  it  is  well  to  be  guarded 
in  our  too  rigid  observance  of  precepts,  lest  we  fall  into  the  con¬ 
trary  condition  which  would  deprive  us  of  our  manhood. 

“Be  strong  and  quit  yourselves  like  men.” 


Keep  in  Touch  With  God 

The  wisest  man  that  ever  lived  says:  “Remember  now  thy 
Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth.” 

The  basis  of  a  moral  life  is  the  remembrance  of  thy  Creator. 
With  this  in  your  memory  you  will  be  able  to  establish  a  moral 
character;  without  it  you  can  not  have  a  moral  life. 

Below  the  nature  of  every  man,  the  foundation  of  his  nature, 
the  evei’lasting  rock  upon  which  it  is  built,  is  God.  He  can  not  be 
ignored  in  any  act,  in  any  transaction.  You  may  attempt  to  blot 
Him  out,  or  cover  Him  up  out  of  the  sight  of  your  own  intelli¬ 
gence,  but  He  is  there  always.  He  is  your  Creator,  and  the 
more  you  are  in  touch  with  Him,  the  more  responsive  you  are  to 
His  promptings,  the  higher  your  moral  character. 

The  old  Pagans  had  no  morality  because  they  hid  God  from 
their  own  hearts  and  understandings,  and  substituted  gods  of 
wood  and  stone. 

They  really  worshipped  themselves,  for  when  a  man  casts 
out  God  there  is  nothing  but  himself  to  worship. 

The  fact  is,  when  men  desire  to  lead  immoral  lives,  or  commit 
violations  of  law  of  any  kind,  they  begin  by  closing  their  eyes  to 
God  and  forgetting  their  Creator,  and  they  say:  “There  is  no 
Hell.” 

In  these  days  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  live  without  a 
knowledge  of  his  Creator.  His  name  is  everywhere  and  stamped 
upon  everything.  This  very  knowledge  makes  it  incumbent  upon 
every  man  to  keep  in  touch  with  his  Creator,  for  it  is  the  common 
sentiment  of  all  mankind,  and  can  not  be  ignored. 

The  observance  of  every  moral  precept  is  prompted  by  the 
Creator,  who  “wills  not  that  men  shall  perish,  but  that  they  shall 
live.” 

To  turn  away  from  Him  is  to  lose  moral  character,  to  keep  in 
touch  with  Him  is  to  preserve  it.  We  keep  in  touch  with  God 
by  remembering  Him. 


So  Not  Srg  to  ^wrrfpii  ilttI}Dut  tiff 
l^flp  of  (®0i 

“Tnist  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart;  and  lean  not  unto 
thine  own  understanding.”  Proverbs,  3,  5. 

The  Lord  is  a  mighty  power  of  strength  to  you,  as  He  is  to  all 
mankind,  and  He  invites  you  to  make  use  of  that  strength.  Human 
life  is  a  poor  and  small  thing  without  something  to  make  it  of 
great  importance.  That  something  is  the  Lord,  and  He  is  part  of 
our  lives,  of  every  moment,  and  we  can  not  drive  Him  out  of  it. 
Why?  Because  He  created  us,  and  will  not  permit  one  of  His 
creations  to  be  ■without  help. 

“Not  a  sparrow  falleth”  that  He  does  not  know  it,  and  how 
much  more  are  you  of  interest  than  the  sparrow?  “Every  hair 
of  your  head  is  numbered.” 

Some  men  imagine  they  can  get  along  without  the  help  of 
God,  but  they  deceive  themselves.  When  they  are  prosperous  they 
forget  Him,  but  when  adversity  comes,  they  turn  to  Him  for  suc¬ 
cor.  Are  they  ever  refused  help  ?  Not  if  asked  in  the  proper  spirit. 
He  helps  you  if  you  help  yourself,  and  you  can  not  voluntarily  lie 
in  a  ditch  and  ask  God  to  help  you  out.  That  would  be  presump¬ 
tion. 

By  making  God  a  part  of  your  daily  lives,  taking  counsel 
from  Him  and  leaning  upon  Him  for  good  qualities,  you  will  be 
surprised  at  your  success.  You  do  not  have  to  be  a  bigot,  or  a 
ranter;  show  by  your  example  what  you  are  and  upon  whom  you 
lean  for  support. 

Do  not  be  shamed  to  give  the  Lord  as  the  cause  of  your  suc¬ 
cess,  the  greatest  men  of  the  earth  have  always  recognized  His 
hand. 

Believe  in  Him  faithfully  and  fully. 

To  an  Atheist  who  did  not  believe  in  God,  Napoleen  Bona¬ 
parte  in  the  height  of  his  power  said:  “You  do  not  believe  in  God? 
Who  made  the  stars?” 


®1|P  ilorp  a  ilatt  datna  WtaJiDm  ll|p 
Npam  dpta  to  doJi 

St.  Paul  says:  “Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye 
do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.” 

There  is  a  glory  of  man  and  a  glory  of  God.  The  former  is 
transient,  but  the  latter  is  eternal,  and  is  what  all  men  should  aim 
to  see. 

“All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of  man  as  the  flower  of 
grass.  The  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower  thereof  falleth  away.” 

It  is  plain  to  every  right  thinking  and  reasoning  man  that  we 
should  seek  that  which  is  the  best.  We  so  act  in  all  our  business 
affairs,  and  why  should  we  not  do  the  same  so  far  as  our  immortal 
souls  are  concerned? 

The  kingdom  of  God  is  Ilis  glory,  and  seeking  that  first,  all 
other  things  will  come  to  you. 

In  striving  to  attain  to  a  sight  of  the  glory  of  God,  we  are 
moving  upward  from  every  point  of  view.  Compared  with  that 
glory,  the  man  who  seeks  only  the  glor}"  of  man,  is  satisfied  with 
tinsel  instead  of  pure  gold. 

Do  not  imagine  that  because  we  are  far  away  from  the  king¬ 
dom  and  glory  of  God,  that  it  is  not  worth  consideration.  Ilis 
glory  is  visible  everywhere.  In  the  rising  sun;  the  flowers  and 
plants ;  the  winds  and  the  rain ;  in  the  smallest  animal,  and  particu¬ 
larly  in  man. 

It  can  be  cultivated,  and  imitated  by  rising  the  intellect.  The 
more  a  man  learns  the  nearer  he  gets  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
better  he  will  be  prepared  to  finally  reach  it. 

All  men  are  moved  and  have  their  being  in  pursuance  to  a 
law  of  God  who  created  all  things  for  Ilis  own  glory.  You  are 
intended  to  share  in  that  glory,  it  is  your  heritage  as  a  man. 


Do  Not  Violate  the  Laws  of 

Nature 


To  violate  any  law  is  reprehensible,  and  in  most  eases  is 
pimishable. 

A  man  steals,  and  he  is  put  in  jail  as  a  punishment  for  not 
letting  another  man’s  property  alone.  It  is  his  and  you  have  no 
right  to  it,  wherefore  you  are  punished. 

But  when  you  violate  a  law  of  nature,  you  are  inflicting  an 
injury  upon  yourself  such  as  no  wise  man  will  do. 

All  men  were  created  for  a  special  purpose,  and  every  man 
who  has  reached  the  age  of  reason  knows  what  that  purpose  is. 
It  is  a  law  of  that  man’s  nature  which  he  must  obey  or  take  the 
consequences. 

It  is  a  law  established  by  God,  the  Creator,  and  can  not  be 
violated  with  the  same  impunity  as  the  laws  of  man. 

For  instance:  The  legislature  enacts  a  law  forbidding  you  to 
steal.  You  steal,  nevertheless,  and  you  are  punished  as  has  been 
said,  being  sent  to  prison.  But  if  you  violate  a  law  of  God — or  a 
law  of  nature,  which  is  the  same  thing,  you  do  not  see  any  prison 
in  sight  and  you  imagine  you  are  going  to  get  off  free  from  pun¬ 
ishment.  But  wait  a  moment. 

A  man  commits  suicide  or  does  other  flagrant  acts  upon  him¬ 
self. 

The  suicide  commits  a  murder,  but  if  he  murdered  another  he 
might  have  an  opportunity  to  repent — to  make  his  peace  with 
God.  But  by  putting  an  end  to  himself  he  cuts  off  his  chance  of 
repentance  and  appears  before  his  Creator  with  the  blood  stains 
indelibly  fixed  upon  his  hands.  He  is  a  marked  Cain,  and  he  fixes 
his  own  punishment  to  begin  immediately. 

Any  flagrant  violation  of  the  laws  of  nature  are  an  insult  to 
the  majesty  of  the  Creator  who  made  all  things  perfect,  and  fixes 
sure  punishment  upon  him  who  defaces  His  handiwork. 


The  Devil’s  Work  in  the  Home, 
in  Society,  in  Business,  in  Pol¬ 
itics,  and  in  Every  Walk 
of  Life 

THE  THIEF 

Misrepresentation,  Lying,  Stealing  —  Reputation  Gone  —  The 
Soul  Destroyed. 

THE  MURDERER 

Temptation,  Drunkenness,  Murder — The  Trial  in  Court,  the 
Sentence  of  the  Prisoner,  a  Life  Term  in  the  Penitentiary,  or 
WORSE.  After  that  ETERNAL  DARKNESS. 

THE  SUICIDE 

Dissipation,  Gambling,  Speculation  With  Other  People’s 
Money — ALL  IS  LOST.  Suicide. 

THE  PUBLIC  PLUNDERER 

Intimidation,  Bulldozing,  Brute  Force,  Vote  Stealing,  Ballot 
Box  Stuffing,  Bribery,  IMalfeasance  in  Office,  Embezzlement  of  Pub¬ 
lic  Funds — Impeachment,  Political  Death,  Moral  Debauchery,  Dis¬ 
grace — RUIN. 

THE  DESTROYER  OF  HOMES 

Intemperance,  Ignorance,  Deception,  Betrayal,  Seduction, 
Adultery,  Abortion,  Race  Suicide,  Desertion,  Divorce — DEATH. 


PART  11. 

LIFE  LINES  OF  KNOWLEDGE 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 

OR 

God’s  Beautiful  Work  Revealed 

How  One  Life  Influences  Another — The  Knowledge 
that  Leads  to  the  Fountain  of  Eternal  Youth 


’Tis  a  wonderful  plant  in  its  varied  growth  and  bloom — this  flower 
that  we  call  human  life!  To  find  its  roots,  that  we  may  understand  its 
deeper  mysteries,  and  how  one  life  influences  another — ah,  what  a  task! 
It  is  a  more  audacious  wresting  of  nature’s  secrets  than  Edison  has  yet 
attempted;  a  more  fascinating  search  than  that  for  “the  pot  of  gold  at 
the  end  of  the  rainbow,”  or  the  fountain  of  eternal  youth,  for  in  a  sense 
it  includes  both.  It  discloses  treasures  more  valued  than  any  hidden  by 
pirate  or  delved  for  by  miner.  It  is  a  search  worthy  alike  of  the  sage 
philosopher,  the  earnest  young  student,  the  conscientious  mother  and 
the  little  child;  and  of  these,  perhaps,  the  little  child  is  wisest,  because 
nearest  to  nature’s  heart  in  its  innocent,  eager,  and  too  often  baffled 
curiosity. 

KNOWLEDGE  A  SAFEGUARD 

A  common  error  is  that  of  confusing  ignorance  with  innocence, 
while  in  fact,  the  two  are  wholly  different  in  their  nature  and  results^ 
Ignorance  is  not  the  true  heritage  of  any  human  being.  The  knowledge 
that  satisfies,  uplifts  and  protects  should  be  given  to  all.  It  is  harmful 

214 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


215 


beyond  measure  to  make  a  dark,  forbidding  secret  of  what  all  should 
learn,  or  to  carelessly  leave  young  people  to  acquire  false  and  base 
views  of  God’s  beautiful  work. 

If  “the  proper  study  of  man¬ 
kind  is  man,”  then  the  youth¬ 
ful  questioner’s  “How!”  and 
“Why!”  should  be  answered; 
and  to  answer  wisely  and  well, 
the  world  itself  must  seek 
knowledge,  and  learn  so  to  use 
and  impart  it  as  to  further  a 
pure  and  reverent  self-develop¬ 
ment. 


Can^LcM 


Cnrdin9  JSrt 


C^rdi^c  ritzia 


Su'pcrf^X  Cardiac  fUxu2 


Though  man  is  more  than 
physical,  yet  in  finding  the 
centers  of  a  human  life,  we  are 
led  first  along  the  highway  of 
the  great  sympathetic  nervous 
system,  which,  whether  we 
wake  or  sleep,  continuously 
performs  its  marvelous  func¬ 
tions  of  controlling  nutrition, 
respiration,  the  circulation  of 
the  blood,  and  all  the  various 
vital  processes.  In  this  we 
four  great  power-houses,  so  to 
speak;  points  from  which  vi- 
tality  is  sent  forth  in  all  di¬ 
rections.  SYMPATHETIC  GANGLIA  AND  NERVES 

THE  BRAIN—  MALE  AND  FEMALE 

The  first  great  center,  the  brain,  has  been  well  called  the  guardian 
and  at  the  same  time  the  servant  of  the  mind;  and  through  the  mind 


JFyjifjattrie  rt^oMO, 


216 


THE  SECBETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


the  functions  of  every  part  of  the  body  may  be  atfeeted.  The  nerve- 
cells  of  the  brain  are  specialists  in  their  business;  that  is,  they  are  so 
arranged  that  each  group  of  cells  controls  its  own  peculiar  work 
whether  mental  or  physical,  doing  that  specific  thing  and  nothing  else. 
Thus,  some  cells  enable  us  to  think,  others  to  speak,  still  others  to  move 
our  hands;  some  cause  us  to  enjoy  a  beautiful  landscape,  others  help 

to  plan  a  battle;  and  so  on 
through  the  whole  list  of 
mental  and  physical  acts, 
sensations  and  emotions. 

These  brain  cells,  like  all 
other  parts  of  the  body, 
must  be  fed;  hence  certain 
nerves  stimulate  each  cell  to 
select  from  the  blood-sup¬ 
ply  exactly  ,the  elements 
suited  to  its  own  peculiar 
need.  Other  nerves  act  as 
messengers  from  the  cells  to 
NERVE  CELLS  OR  NERVE  CENTERS  ditferent  parts  of  the  body. 

Now,  it  must  be  remembered  that  each  group  of  nerve-cells  not  only 
differs  in  its  work  from  the  neighboring  groups  in  the  same  brain,  but 
that  the  corresponding  groups  in  different  brains  also  vary  in  size. 
Thus  we  have  not  only  the  different  faculties  in  one  individual,  but 
the  varying  temperaments  in  society  as  a  whole. 

When  we  come  to  consider  the  brain,  therefore,  with  its  wonderful 
wrinkled  folds  or  convolutions  of  gray  nerve-cells  nourished  by  the 
blood  and  constantly  originating  force,  impulse  and  ideas,  and  with 
the  white  nerve  fibers  acting  as  messengers  to  transmit  them,  we  see 
why  this  organ  is  so  powerful  a  life-center.  One  fact  of  especial  inter¬ 
est  is  that  certain  striking  differences  exist  between  the  brain  of  the 
male  and  that  of  the  female.  We  see  this  in  the  shape  of  the  skull;  in 
the  gentle  arching  upward  of  the  woman’s  forehead  and  the  decided 
elevation  at  the  top  and  near  the  center  of  the  cranium. 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


217 


Few  skulls  of  the  female  fail  to  show  this  peculiarity,  which  is 
lacking,  as  a  rule,  in  the  male.  Phrenologists  and  scientists  generally 
agree  that  Nature  has  thereby  put  her  mark  upon  woman  as  the  more 
moral,  the  more  conscientious  and  more  highly  developed  in  the  spir¬ 
itual  qualities.  Here,  in  the  loftiest  portion  of  her  cranial  construction 
she  is  proclaimed  superior  to  man  in  many  of  the  finer  and  higher 
sentiments  which  distinguish  the  human  race  from  the  brute  creation. 


The  average  brain  and  skull  of  the  man  is  about  one-tenth  larger 
than  that  of  the  woman.  But  it  is  now  generally  admitted  that  the 
size  and  weight  of  the  brain  as  a  whole  do  not  absolutely  determine 
intellectual  capacity.  Fineness  and  purity  of  tissue  are  also  to  be 
considered,  as  well  as  the  relative  proportion  of  the  gray  to  the  white 


218 


THE  SECEETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


matter.  In  all  these  points  woman  appears  to  be  more  graciously  en¬ 
dowed  than  man. 

Bearing  directly  upon  this  point  of  size  and  weight  as  a  measure 
of  intellectual  capacity  is  the  case  of  a  certain  Munich  physiologist  of 
note  who,  after  years  of  wide  investigation,  attempted  to  uphold  the 
ungallant  claim  that  Avoman  must  necessarily  be  inferior  to  man  be¬ 
cause  of  her  smaller  brain.  Others  protested  that  in  comparison  with 

the  total  weight  of  her  body  her 
brain  Avas  even  heavier.  The  plucky 
German,  however 
insisted  upon  his 
point,  his  Aveight 
of  the  average 
female  brain  be¬ 
ing  placed  at  1,- 
250  grammes 
against  1,350 
for  that  of  the 
male — a  differ¬ 
ence  of  three 
and  o  n  e  -  h  a  1  f 
ounces.  Upon 
the  death  of  the 
scholar,  who  had 
expended  so 
many  years  of 
intellectual  en- 


*.  Corpus  striatum. 

а.  Thalamus  opticus. 

3.  Crus  cerebsi. 

4.  Locus  nigcr. 

5.  Pons  Varolii,  denoted  by 

transverse  lines. 

б.  Pyramid. 

7.  Olive. 

8.  Anterior  columns. 

9.  Lateral  columns. 

10.  Posterior  columns. 

It.  Corpora  quadrigemina. 

11.  Fillet  of  Reil. 

13.  Superior  crus  of  the  cere¬ 
bellum. 

la.  Cerebellum. 


COURSE  OF  THE  NERVE-FIBRES  THROUGH  THE 
SMALL  BRAIN 

ergy  upon  the  study,  it  was  found  that  his  OAvn  brain  weighed  only 
1,245  grammes,  less  than  the  feminine  standard  which  he  himself  had 
established. 

WOMAN’S  INTUITIONAL  NATURE  EXPLAINED 


Close  and  vital  indeed  is  the  relation  of  the  brain  action  to  the 
process  of  thought,  and  to  the  general  health  of  the  body  as  well. 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


219 


Increase  of  the  blood-supply  in  any  part  of  the  body,  as  all  recognize, 
means  a  corresponding  increase  of  that  part’s  activity.  Nowhere  is 
this  more  evident  than  in  the  brain.  Now  it  has  been  learned  that  in 
woman’s  brain  a  richer  blood-supply  stimulates  those  portions  con¬ 
trolling  the  unconscious  process.  Her  “sub-conscious  mind,”  afS  it  is 
sometimes  called,  is,  therefore,  more  active  than  her  conscious  intellect; 
and  for  this  reason  she  often  knows  by  intuition,  in  a  flash,  something 
that  man  would  laboriously  reason  out. 

So  it  is  with  woman’s  love-nature.  The  lower  part  of  her  brain, 
near  the  spinal 
cord,  is  most  ac¬ 
tively  nourished 
by  the  blood- 
supply;  hence  it 
is  not  strange 
that  the  very 
foundations  of 
her  being  rest 
upon  sentiment 
rather  than  up¬ 
on  reason.  Nor¬ 
mally,  woman 
lives  to  be  be¬ 
loved,  and  intu- 
itively  does  love  in  its  anatomical  connections 

m,  the  corpus  callosum,  a  great  nerve  center;  o,  the  seat  of  love, 
t  ll  0  S  e  t  h  1  n  g  S  in  the  female  head 

which  are  lovely.  See  illustration,  “Love  in  Its  Anatomical  Connec¬ 
tions.”  Further,  she  lives  to  be  beloved  of  man,  while,  speaking 
broadly,  he  chiefly  exists  to  increase  in  simple  strength  of  body  and  of 
mind.  Thus  are  brought  together  strength  and  tenderness,  each  to 
modify  the  other;  the  positive  and  negative  poles  of  being  which  form 
the  complete  circuit  of  creation. 

During  sleep,  there  is  only  sufficient  blood  supplied  to  the  brain 
for  the  purposes  of  nutrition.  Were  there  more,  the  action  of  the 


220 


THE  SECEETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


brain  would  render  sleep  impossible.  Activity  of  tlie  mind  greatly 
influences  this  matter  of  cerebral  circulation.  Hence  it  is  easy  to  see 
why  prolonged  worry  or  study,  by  retaining  cr  increasing  the  blood- 
supply,  will  cause  insomnia;  also  why,  if  through  sickness,  monotonous 


work  or  other  conditions,  the  supply  of  the  blood  to  the  brain  is  greatly 
lessened,  the  brain  functions  will  not  be  carried  on  properly  in  the 
waking  state;  memory,  concentration,  the  voluntary  mind,  the  will  and 
the  senses  become  feeble;  the  brain  partially  loses  control  of  the  nervous 
system,  and  “nervousness”  is  the  result.  At  such  a  time  the  mental 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


221 


impressions  are  likely  to  be  misinterpreted  or  greatly  exaggerated.  The 
friends  of  a  person  thus  afflicted  should  not  judge  harshly,  therefore, 
if  they  find  themselves  accused  of  many  absurd  if  trifling  offenses; 
neither  should  they  be  surprised  at  the  nervous  one’s  facility  for 
hearing  burglars,  seeing  ghosts,  and  discovering  fires  or  other  calam¬ 
ities  where  none  exists.  A  very  simple  course  of  treatment  restoring 
the  normal  blood-supply  to  the  brain  will  usually  banish  all  the  hor¬ 
rors. 


HOW  TO  INCREASE  MENTAL  VIGOR 


We  see,  then,  that  since  the  brain  is  the  organ  of  the  mind,  the 
better  the  health  of  that  organ,  the  more  vigorous  will  be  the  working 
of  the  mental  powers.  This 
can  be  largely  attained  by 
judicious  exercise;  for  reg¬ 
ular  exercise  of  the  brain 
is  as  needful  for  that  or¬ 
gan  as  for  any  other  por¬ 
tion  of  the  body.  When 
any  part  of  the  brain  is 
called  into  activity  the 
blood  is  attracted  toward 
that  part;  and  if  this  exer¬ 
cise  be  resumed  at  regular 
intervals  and  not  carried 
too  far,  that  part  or  fac¬ 
ulty  of  the  brain  grows  in  size,  strength  and  facility  of  action.  This 
is  shown  by  the  fact  that  some  women  have  become  fine  conversa¬ 
tionalists  by  dint  of  regular,  thoughtful,  persevering  practice  even 
w'hen  they  possessed  small  natural  ability  in  that  direction.  It  is 
the  same  with  music,  mathematics  or  domestic  skill;  and  one  woman 
who  in  time  of  need  took  up  her  husband’s  work  as  a  landscape  archi¬ 
tect,  beginning  as  she  says  with  a  very  poor  equipment,  is  now  em¬ 
ployed  by  several  railroads  and  many  owners  of  private  grounds,  who 


HEAD  OF  SPINAL  CORD  AND  ORIGIN  OF  THE 
SENTIENT  NERVES 

“All  the  Nerves  Centering  at  Love” 


222 


THE  SECEETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


appreciate  the  finest  work  and  most  able  supervision,  for  which  she  is 
noted. 

As  is  easily  seen,  however,  when  the  exercise  is  excessive,  and  the 
part  of  the  brain  thus  used  is  not  given  sufficient  rest  to  allow  Nature 


Showing  cerebellum,  medulla  oblongata,  lobes,  etc. 

to  restore  the  waste  caused  by  its  activity,  it  becomes  exhausted,  and 
brain  fever,  imbecility,  or  insanity  is  the  result.  A  knowledge  of  this 
law  is  most  important  to  teachers  and  students. 


THE  SECEETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


223 


CHANGE  YOUR  MIND! 

It  must  be  remembered  also  that  by  tbe  operation  of  tbis  same 
law,  the  habit  of  brooding  continually  on  one  thing  keeps  the  brain 
on  such  a  strain  as  to  cause  it  to  become  weakened  or  diseased.  There 
must  be  in  everything  some  chance  for  variation.  People  suffer  more 
often  than  they  need,  by  failing  to  realize  this.  Don’t  get  into  mental 
ruts.  With  an  occasional  friendly  visit,  books,  travel,  pictures,  even 
a  new  arrangement  of  the  furniture  in  your  room,  you  can  frequently 
form  new  mental  images  so  as  to  keep  the  brain  in  some  degree  re¬ 
freshed  and  interested.  “Change  your  mind  every  day!”  is  the  advice 
of  one  who  knows  how  to  keep  young,  beautiful,  socially  magnetic  and 
mentally  brilliant  through  circumstances  which  many  would  find  try¬ 
ing.  It  is  in  actual  truth  as  important  to  vary  the  mental  outlook  as 
to  change  the  clothing. 


THE  SECOND  LIFE-CENTER 

In  the  region  of  the  heart,  and  closely  related  to  it,  is  another 
mighty  center,  through  which  the  pulse  messages  rush  like  telegrams 
on  their  way.  It  seems  a  pity  for  science  to  have  disturbed  the  poetic 
fancies  of  the  ages  by  telling  us  that  the  heart  is  not,  after  all,  the 
seat  of  the  affections.  As  we  have  seen  that  the  phrenologists  insist 
on  locating  the  love-faculty  in  so  unromantic  a  place  as  the  back  of 
the  head,  we  shall  have  to  accept  the  fact.  Still,  we  will  not  complain, 
for  are  we  not  already  finding  the  truth  more  wonderful  than  any 
poet’s  dream?  With  this  consideration  we  will  forgive  the  phrenolo¬ 
gists  and  proceed  towards  further  light. 

This  second  great  knot  of  nerves,  near  the  heart,  called  the  cardiac 
plexus,  has  a  mission  so  powerful  that  we  can  well  understand  the 
reason  for  the  ancient  mistake.  Any  powerful  emotion,  whether  of 
love,  anger,  grief,  or  fear,  is  transmitted  through  the  sympathetic 
nerves  to  the  life-centers  everj’where ;  and  the  heart  being  the  center 
of  circulation,  is  quickened  in  its  beating  by  love  or  anger,  checked 
by  fear,  or  made  irregular  by  grief;  until  it  does  indeed  seem  that 


224 


THE  SECEETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


the  heart,  even  if  not  the  seat  of  the  affectional  nature,  is  at  least  closely 
connected  with  it. 

BROKEN  HEARTS 

Many  have  tried  to  uphold  the  old  theory  by  pointing  out  that  the 
•‘broken  heart”  is  a  physiological  fact.  True,  there  have  been  in¬ 
stances  in  which  the  hearts  of  those  who  died  of  grief  were  found  to 
be  literally  cleft;  but  that  clearly  occurred  by  reason  of  the  irregular 
rush  of  blood,  as  affected  by  the  condition  of  the  nervous  system.  Se¬ 
rene,  temperate,  happy  natures  who  are  both  loving  and  beloved  will 
rarely  have  occasion  to  notice  their  heart-action,  for  in  all  probability 
it  will  be  normal  and  even,  quickened  only  by  increased  vitality  and 
strength  as  the  various  faculties  are  healthfully  exercised. 

THE  HUMAN  SUN 

Not  half  enough  has  been  known  or  taught  regarding  the  third 
important  life-center,  which  is  to  the  human  being  much  what  the  sun 
is  to  the  earth.  This  is  the  solar  plexus — the  great  sympathetic  nerve 
center  just  behind  the  stomach. 

Do  you  know  persons — of  course  you  do! — who  are  often  troubled 
with  “a  dreadful  sinking  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach*?”  Or  with  the 
tendency  to  feel  slighted  or  abused,  with  little  or  no  cause?  Or  with 
the  “I  can’t”  paralysis?” 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox  says  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  people  in 
the  world;  the  people  who  lift,  and  the  people  who  lean.  You  have 
met  those  of  both  kinds;  the  strong,  self-reliant  ones  so  full  of  vital, 
radiant  soul-shine  that  every  one  turns  instinctively  to  them  to  get 
rid  of  the  blues;  and  the  other  sort — the  chronically  whining,  helpless, 
despondent  ones  who  want  everything  done  for  them;  who  fear  they 
“can’t”  succeed  in  anything  they  undertake,  and  who  consequently 
never  do  succeed.  Yes,  we  all  know  both  the  “lifters”  and  the 
“leaners.”  Would  you  be  a  “  lifter?”  Then  develop  your  solar 
plexus ! 

Do  you  ask  “Why?”  and  “How?”  I  will  tell  you.  First,  as  to 
why: 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


225 


LINK  BETWEEN  BODY  AND  SOUL 

The  solar  plexus  is  in  one  sense  the  link  between  the  body  and 
the  soul.  It  is  in  location  at  the  great  center  of  the  sympathetic 
nervous  system,  and  closely  connected  with  important  organs  and 
vital  processes  throughout  the  entire  body.  In  its  relations  with  the 
brain,  its  state  of  health  has  a  marked  effect  on  the  will.  Fright,  or 
sudden,  despairing  grief,  is  felt  in  this  region  even  more  readily  than 
near  the  heart.  Such  an  emotion  causes  the  “sinking  feeling  at  the 
pit  of  the  stomach”  above  referred  to;  and  the  same  sensation  only 
in  a  less  violent  degree,  becomes  chronic  in  a  person  who  is  in  the 
habit  of  continually  depreciating  himself  or  his  neighbors — particu¬ 
larly  himself.  No  man  can  succeed  in  business,  no  woman  in  effec¬ 
tively  managing  her  love  affairs  or  her  household,  if  the  solar  plexus 
be  weak  and  unreliable.  It  must  and  can  be  made  strong.  When  this 
strengthening  process  is  completed,  the  result  is  the  thoroughly  awake, 
alive,  magnetic,  successful  person  whose  very  presence  is  a  delight 
to  all;  whose  “feelings”  are  never  hurt,  and  who  is  never  “out  of 
sorts”;  who  is  so  busy  doing  wise,  merry,  clever,  kind  things  that 
there  seems  never  any  chance  for  mistakes  or  worries;  who  comes  into 
a  room  or  a  group  of  people  like  a  sunbeam  and  leaves  all  refreshed  and 
invigorated  as  by  an  ocean  breeze. 

The  reason  such  a  person  is  not  receptive  to  injuries  and  “slights” 
and  can  accomplish  more  than  others  is  simply  that  he  has  a  well  de¬ 
veloped  solar  plexus.  And  this  brings  us  to  the  other  question,  ‘  ‘  How  ?  ’  ’ 

HOW  TO  DEVELOP  THE  SOLAR  PLEXUS 

By  frequent,  regular,  deep  breathing  of  pure  air  and  sunshine,  so 
as  to  increase  the  blood-supply  to  that  part  of  the  system;  by  chasing 
away  all  despondent  or  disagreeable  thoughts — like  the  burglars  that 
they  are — with  a  swiftness  that  will  astonish  them;  and  by  a  liberal 
use,  either  mentally  or  aloud,  of  the  words  “I  can  and  I  will,”  fol¬ 
lowed  by  acting  as  if  you  really  believed  and  enjoyed  them.  That  is 

15— L  S 


226 


THE  SECEETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


the  treatment  in  a  nutshell.  More  specific  instructions  for  the  breath¬ 
ing  exercises  will  be  given  in  a  later  chapter;  but  the  mental  part  of 
the  treatment  is  important  also.  Power  dwells  in  the  solar  plexus,  and 
if  given  half  a  chance,  instead  of  being  squeezed  out  of  all  shape  and 
vigor,  as  it  often  is,  by  cramped  dressing  and  cramped  thinking,  this 
human  sun  will  radiate  until  life  is  transformed. 

THE  FOURTH  LIFE-CENTER 

Last  on  the  list  of  the  great  life-centers  is  that  related  to  the  re¬ 
productive  organs.  With  reverent  tread  we  approach  this  part  of  our 
subject,  for  who  can  begin  to  study  the  greatest  of  all  creative  work 
without  feeling  that  it  is  holy  ground? 

The  nerve-center  related  to  the  reproductive  organs  is  largest  of 
the  four,  and  in  woman,  has  a  vital,  recuperative  power.  This  is  most 
needful,  since  these  organs  in  the  exercise  of  their  functions  influence 
the  entire  nervous  and  physical  system  to  an  unequaled  extent.  The 
fibers  of  the  woman’s  nerves,  on  account  of  their  more  delicate  tex¬ 
ture,  vibrate  more  rapidly  than  those  of  man  and  are  therefore  sub¬ 
ject  to  more  sudden  changes.  She  is  more  disposed  than  man  to  be 
hysterical,  to  weep  and  laugh  in  the  same  breath.  She  is  more  quickly 
and  keenly  affected  by  outward  impressions  than  man.  Her  body  and 
soul  promptly  recoil  from  repulsive  sights  and  evil  mental  impres¬ 
sions.  On  account  of  this  finer  and  more  complex  nervous  organiza¬ 
tion,  woman’s  nature  is  not  only  subject  to  more  rapid  changes  than 
man’s,  but  it  is  far  more  elastic.  It  is  more  quickly  and  profoundly 
disturbed,  but  returns  more  readily  to  its  normal  state.  Her  soul  is 
painfully  touched  by  misfortune  or  death,  but  the  nervous  shock  of 
the  blow  finds  relief  in  a  flood  of  tears.  Her  nervous  and  mental  sys¬ 
tems,  which  are  one  and  inseparable,  regain  their  stability  with  a 
promptness  which  would  be  impossible  for  the  man  whose  nature  had 
been  so  deeply  affected. 

No  work  of  master-artist  ever  compared  in  beauty  and  perfection 
with  the  marvelous  construction  of  the  human  body.  It  seems  difficult 


THE  SECEETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


227 


to  realize  that  all  this  wonderful  structure  grows  from  a  tiny  cell,  a 
seed,  so  that  human  life  is  in  fact  not  altogether  unlike  that  of  the 
beautiful  plant-world  with  which  we  have  already  compared  it.  Not 
only  is  the  great  sympathetic  nervous  system  made  up  of  minute 
nerve-cells,  but  were  we  to  trace  life  back  to  its  very  beginning  we 
should  find  a  germ-cell 


which  grows  and  bursts 
open  as  does  the  flower- 
seed,  sending  forth  still 
smaller  cells;  and  within 
these  we  should  find  a 
mass  of  infinitesimal, 
oval-shaped  bodies  with 
long  tails — curious  living 
beings  no  larger  than  the 
point  of  a  pin!  To  study 
the  history  of  these  little 
creatures  and  learn  what 
becomes  of  them  in  the 
course  of  their  travels  is 
to  understand,  in  some  de¬ 
gree,  the  beginnings  of 
human  life.  We  will  take 
up  this  important  study 

in  due  time,  giving  to  each 

,  .  OUTLINE  OF  THE  MALE  AND  FEMALE  FORM 

portion  its  appropriate  showing  the  heavier  bone-construction  of  the  Male,  as 

■»r  1  .1  1  w'ell  as  the  larger  muscular  development. 

space.  Meanwhde,  hav- 

of  the  Male,  and  the  swelling 

ing  found  the  four  great  Female. 

centers  of  life,  let  us  turn  for  a  moment  to  certain  fundamental  differ¬ 
ences  in  sex  and  temperament  which  distinguish  one  human  life  from 
another. 

“God  created  man  male  and  female,”  giving  to  each  sex  distinc- 


228 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


tive  qualities  admirably  adapted  to  its  part  in  the  ever-continuing 
creative  process.  The  differences  between  man  and  woman,  as  we  have 
seen,  are  mental  as  well  as  physical.  Taking  a  broa|l,  general  view, 
we  see  in  man  the  embodiment  of  strength;  in  woman,  the  more  passive, 
receptive  qualities ;  in  man  the  intellect  ruling  supreme ;  in  woman  the 
spiritual  faculties  and  the  love-nature.  Physically,  man’s  broader 
shoulders  and  chest  indicate  that  he  was  meant  to  be  the  lifter  of  the 
world’s  many  and  varied  burdens;  while  woman’s  slenderer  form,  with 
exception  of  the  portions  meant  for  child-bearing,  gives  evidence  that 
with  her  all  else  is  secondary  to  her  chief  life-work,  that  of  bearing  and 
rearing  children  to  be  a  joy  to  themselves  and  humanity.  For  one  en¬ 
trusted  with  so  grand  a  creative  work,  specific  preparation  is  surely 
most  needful,  and  equally  a  high  and  sacred  duty. 

temperament 

That  no  human  life  is  complete  until  rightly  mated,  is  acknowl¬ 
edged;  but  how  few  give  to  this  subject  that  earnest  thought  which 
fits  them  for  life’s  noblest  duties,  free  from  all  false  notions  and  dan¬ 
gerous  misinterpretations  of  nature’s  laws. 

Marriage,  the  preparation  for  it  and  what  it  involves,  must  be  con¬ 
sidered  in  many  aspects,  and  before  taking  up  these  matters  it  is  well 
to  give  thought  to  the  different  temperaments  to  be  found  in  the  human 
body,  and  how  each  may  be  recognized.  In  this  way  alone  can  a  knowl¬ 
edge  of  the  great  underlying  principles  of  right  selection  and  happy 
adaptation  be  gained;  for  temperament  is,  in  a  very  real  sense,  one  of 
the  central  facts  in  human  life. 

MENTAL  OR  NERVOUS  TEMPERAMENT 

A  person  in  whom  the  activity  of  brain  and  nervous  system  strongly 
prevails,  may  be  known  by  a  slender,  well-knit  frame,  sharp  features, 
thin  skin,  fine  hair,  bright  eyes;  he  moves,  speaks  and  thinks  rapidly, 
and  is  fond  of  reading  and  other  intellectual  pursuits.  Such  a  person 
is  apt  to  mature  early,  enjoy  and  suffer  keenly,  and  carry  things  to 


THE  SECKETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


229 


excess,  especially  all  mental  activities.  Children  of  this  organization 
require  a  great  deal  of  care  and  attention.  Plenty  of  outdoor  exercise, 
cheerful  surroundings,  and  a  gentle,  watchful  guidance  are  essential  to 
keep  them  well  and  happy.  They  are  more  dependent  than  other  chil¬ 
dren,  but  their  brilliant  talents  well  repay  the  efforts  that  must  be  made 
to  give  them  physical  stamina  and  self-reliance. 

“HEWERS  OF  WOOD  AND  DRAWERS  OF  WATER” 

In  the  bilious  or  motive  organization,  bone  and  muscle  predominate. 
By  reason  of  well  organized  nutritive  processes  there  is  marked  physi¬ 
cal  strength.  Persons  wholly  of  this  class  are  solid  in  bone,  flesh  and 
muscle,  have  large  joints,  large,  irregular  features,  dark  hair  and  eyes, 
dark  complexions,  and  are  apt  to  be  somewhat  dull  of  expression  and 
slow  of  movement.  Though  backward  in  study,  they  are  good  workers 
at  any  task  requiring  strength  rather  than  speed;  can  endure  fatigue 
and  hardships;  cling  tenaciously  to  life;  and  while  they  seldom  originate 
anything,  can  carry  out  the  plans  made  by  others.  They  do  the  hard 
work  and  fight  the  battles  of  life;  and  the  world  would  be  in  a  sad 
plight  without  them. 


THE  VITAL,  OR  SANGUINE 

This  temperament  is  controlled  by  the  circulation,  respiration  and 
vital  organs.  The  ascendancy  of  the  digestive  organs  sometimes  leads 
to  gout  and  similar  troubles  late  in  life.  Those  having  this  tempera¬ 
ment  are  known  by  a  general  plumpness  of  body,  strong  pulse,  large 
face,  especially  in  its  lower  portion;  large  base  of  brain;  florid  complex¬ 
ion,  sandy  hair  and  an  expression  full  of  health  and  animation.  All 
the  vital  organs  are  large  and  active.  Persons  of  this  class  value  life 
highly,  enjoy  all  its  pleasures,  breathe  freely,  sleep  soundly,  eat 
heartily;  frequent  social  gatherings;  are  warm-hearted,  sympathetic, 
and  generous;  very  sensitive  and  impulsive.  They  are  fonder  of  giving 
orders  than  of  taking  them.  Sometimes  they  show  good  mental  ability. 


230 


THE  SECRETS  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 


blit  they  are  never  close  students,  as  they  lack  patience  and  applica¬ 
tion. 

There  is  also  the  phlegmatic  or  Ij'^mphatic  temperament,  whose 
chief  distinguishing  mark  is  a  general  sleepiness  of  appearance.  Some 
of  the  Asiatic  nations,  notably  the  Chinese,  are  of  this  class. 

Much  might  be  added  on  this  subject  of  the  varying  organizations, 
but  enough  has  been  said  to  enable  the  reader  to  distinguish  any  one 
of  them.  When  the  different  temperaments  are  blended  in  the  same 
person,  the  result  is  a  well-balanced  mind  and  a  fine  physique.  This, 
of  course,  is  the  ideal  condition.  Yet  a  strongly  developed  tempera¬ 
ment  has  its  advantages,  and  its  disadvantages  can  be  modified.  Peo¬ 
ple  are  not  nearly  so  much  the  slaves  of  fate,  in  these  matters,  as  they 
have  been  led  to  think;  and  it  is  but  fair  to  state  that  a  brave,  aspiring 
human  soul  of  whatever  organization,  will  surely  find  its  balance  some¬ 
where,  somehow.  The  body  is  after  all  the  obedient,  though  untrained 
servant  of  the  mind,  through  which  each  life  can  learn  by  degrees  to 
control  its  own  destiny. 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MARRIAGE 


True  Love,  Courtship  and  Marriage  the  Keg 
to  a  Happy  Domestic  Life 


Once,  tradition  says,  there  was  a  Golden  Age.  It  is  past,  but  a  Dia¬ 
mond  Age  is  to  come.  In  fact,  who  knows  but  it  is  already  dawning  ? 

The  Diamond  Age,  in  all  its  glory,  will  be  upon  us  when  we  can 
regard  each  individual  human  life  as  a  priceless,  sparkling  gem,  to  be 
sought  for  its  perfections  and  treasured  above  all  else  because  of  its 
physical,  mental  and  moral  brilliance  and  purity.  Perfect  men  and 
women  are  indeed  the  diamonds  of  the  race. 

The  first  step  towards  populating  the  earth  with  perfect  men  and 
women  must  be  in  the  proper  mating  of  the  male  and  the  female,  out 
of  which  union  will  arise  the  representatives  of  the  next  generation. 
In  order  to  have  a  race  of  human  beings  mentally  and  morally  perfect 
they  must  also  be  made  physically  so;  for  who  can  bring  a  clean  thing 
out  of  an  unclean?  and  how  can  a  perfect  mental  and  moral  being  be 
produced  except  there  be  a  perfect  physical  body  through  which  such 
a  being  may  act? 

DEVELOPMENT,  ATTRACTION  AND  CREATION 

The  sex-element,  as  already  explained,  is  the  creative  principle 
found  in  all  nature;  the  masculine  and  feminine  attributes  forming  the 
constituent  parts  of  life.  Applying  to  each  quality  of  the  mind,  each 
propensity,  feeling,  faculty  and  sentiment  of  the  soul;  to  every  expres¬ 
sion  of  life  in  the  whole  realm  of  nature,  is  this  union  and  co-operation 
of  masculine  and  feminine  principles.  Every  new  thought  born  in  the 

231 


‘232 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MAERIACE 


brain,  every  idea  created,  is  the  child  of  these  elements.  It  is  well 
known  by  scientists  today  that  both  male  and  female  elements  exist  in 
every  human  being;  but  as  one  or  the  other  predominates,  we  have 
what  are  outwardly  recognized  as  the  divisions  of  sex — man  and  woman. 

The  sex  attribute,  as  thus  recognized,  has  three  great  functions; 
those  of  development,  attraction  and  creation. 

First,  it  is  of  prime  importance  in  maturing  the  growth  of  the  in¬ 
dividual.  Second,  by  its  magnetic  power  it  draws  men  and  women  to¬ 
gether  in  wedlock.  Third,  it  combines  in  their  lives  to  create  a  new  life, 
that  of  the  child. 

Let  us  follow  briefly  each  of  these  processes.  In  early  life  this  at¬ 
tribute  develops  the  boy  or  girl  into  the  mature  man  or  woman.  It 
rounds  out  the  physical,  gives  animation,  vigor,  keenness,  vivacity, 
ardor,  courage;  it  gives  independence  and  stability  to  the  character. 
Splendid  indeed  is  the  result  when  this  vital  element  is  not  wasted,  but 
allowed  to  do  its  perfect  work.  This  is  what  gives  us  the  men  and 
women  of  power  to  move  the  world. 

WHEN  THE  CHANGE  COMES  TO  EVERY  BOY  OR  GIRL 

Up  to  the  age  of  puberty  the  main  differences  between  the  sexes 
are  mental  rather  than  physical.  The  girl  is  naturally  more  quiet  and 
domestic  than  the  boy.  She  early  shows  the  feminine  trait  of  inviting 
attention  indirectly.  Quite  young,  also,  the  boy  perceives  that  it  is  his 
part  to  make  the  advances. 

At  the  age  of  puberty  there  comes  a  change — so  marked  a  change, 
at  times,  as  to  be  almost  startling.  Although  there  have  been  many 
disputes  as  to  the  reality  of  definite  physiological  and  mental  changes 
in  man  and  woman  measured  by  a  limited  cycle  of  years — for  instance, 
seven — there  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  at  about  the  fourteenth  year 
in  both  the  boy  and  the  girl  so  complete  a  transformation  takes  place 
as  to  make  of  them  new  beings.  In  temperate  climates  both  the  boy 
and  the  girl  then  assume  their  specific  sexual  functions.  Heretofore 
each  has  been  a  separate  and  independent  individual  and  felt  no  special 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MAEEIAGE 


233 


need  of  the  other,  except  in  so  far  as  the  normal  social  nature  called  for 
companionship.  With  the  deepening  of  the  voice  and  the  hardening  and 
expansion  of  the  masculine  muscles,  with  the  swelling  of  the  feminine 
breast  and  the  rounding  of  every  outline,  with  all  that  these  changes 
imply,  there  comes  a  marked  difference  in  the  bearing  of  the  sexes  to¬ 
ward  each  other. 


THE  ATTRACTIVE  POWER  OF  SEX 

The  second  function  of  this  wonderful  sex-nature  is  now  becoming 
dominant.  The  once  bold  boy,  in  spite  of  himself,  shows  a  strange 
timidity  when  in  the  presence  of  the  girl,  although  he  feels  irresistibly 
drawn  towards  her.  Wlien  in  his  presence  the  girl ’s  eyes  brighten,  and 
she  may  lose  to  a  great  extent  those  withdrawing,  shrinking  ways  which 
were  hers  in  earlier  girlhood.  For  some  years  she  may  even  become 
the  aggressor,  and  her  nature  in  this  respect,  becomes  masculine.  If 
she  does  not  retain,  at  the  same  time,  those  distinctive  feminine  traits 
of  vivacious  delicacy  and  charming  strategy,  those  little  arts  which  un¬ 
consciously  but  irresistibly  draw  the  boy  toward  her,  those  who  have 
the  girl  in  charge  should  look  after  her  welfare.  In  fact,  at  this  period, 
when  each  discovers  with  such  uneasiness  that  the  other  is  in  some  way 
a  supplementary  being,  too  much  care  cannot  be  given  to  either — care 
to  ascertain  whether  they  are  developing  into  normal  or  abnormal  men 
and  women. 

It  is  undoubtedly  true,  as  asserted  by  an  eminent  medical  authority, 
that  “the  appetite  which  brings  the  sexes  together  is  founded  upon 
peculiar  secretions  periodically  arising  after  puberty  and  creating  an 
uneasiness  until  discharged  or  absorbed.”  It  is  also  true  that  besides 
this  physiological  reason,  both  male  and  female  natures  begin  at  this 
time,  with  their  changed  constitutions,  to  demand  a  certain  stimulus  of 
body,  mind  and  entire  being,  which  can  be  obtained  only  by  association 
with  the  opposite  sex.  This  is  a  fundamental  principle  so  generally 
recognized  by  physiology  and  mental  science  that  the  boy  and  girl  de¬ 
veloping  into  manhood  and  womanhood  should  be  especially  advised 
in  regard  to  their  relations  to  each  other. 


234 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MARRIAGE 


As  the  child  thus  matures,  under  wise  and  loving  guidance,  the  ex¬ 
panding  wungs  of  the  soul  will  lift  the  pure  young  life  to  higher  and 
higher  planes  of  thought  and  action;  for  it  is  a  striking  fact  that  the 
majority  of  religious  conversions  occur  during  this  period.  Such  ex¬ 
periences  should  never  be  forced,  but  should  come  as  naturally  and 
beautifully  as  the  other  wonderful  and  prophetic  changes  that  are  tak¬ 
ing  place;  until  the  child  has  become  in  the  grandest  sense  the  fully 
developed  man  or  woman,  ready  to  be  entrusted  with  a  share  in  the 
great  and  holy  work  of  creation. 

PREPARING  FOR  LIFE’S  GREATEST  BLESSING 

No  life  is  complete  without  its  mate.  As  we  have  seen,  man  and 
wmman  apart  represent  an  unrounded  life;  only  by  their  union  can  per¬ 
fection  be  approximated.  A  union  by  marriage  is  the  proper  and  only 
course.  It  is  apparent  without  argument  that  union  of  one  man  and  one 
woman  was  Nature’s  design. 

We  have  also  seen  that  man  as  man  possesses  certain  distinctive 
qualities  which  belong  alone  to  the  male  sex,  while  woman  possesses 
others  distinctively  belonging  to  the  female  sex.  Many  traits,  however, 
appear  in  both  men  and  women.  These  traits,  common  to  both  sexes, 
should  be  harmoniously  blended.  A  perfect  union,  therefore,  maj^  be 
attained  by  a  man  selecting  as  his  mate  a  woman  possessing  the  quali¬ 
ties  not  possessed  by  himself.  It  is  easy  to  perceive  that  in  such  a  union 
Nature  is  represented  as  perfectly  as  may  be,  and  a  well-balanced  cou¬ 
ple,  such  as  is  sometimes  seen,  is  the  result;  also,  as  the  parent  is  rep¬ 
resented  in  the  offspring,  well-balanced  offspring  is  the  further  result. 

SCIENCE  THE  FRIEND  OF  LOVE 

If  we  were  as  honest  and  careful  in  choosing  a  companion  for  life 
as  we  are  in  our  business  transactions,  we  should  not  run  the  risks 
we  do.  Most  marriages  would  be  fortunate  in  their  outcome,  because 
based  on  a  more  complete  knowledge  and  understanding.  Married 
without  such  knowledge,  as  many  are,  they  are  far  more  liable  to  error 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MARRIAGE 


235 


and  even  crime,  than  if  single;  and  their  children  grow  up  with  reason 
to  curse  instead  of  to  bless  them.  Yet  the  same  persons,  if  rightly 
mated,  would  have  made  good  husbands,  wives,  and  parents,  and  would 
have  been  supremely  happy  in  their  married  life.  The  quarrels,  separa¬ 
tions  and  divorces  now  of  such  frequent  occurrence  would  be  unheard 
of  if  all  about  to  marry  would  be  guided  by  Judgment  and  science, 
which  are  the  true  friends,  not  the  foes,  of  happy  love. 

Now,  youths  and  maidens,  I  adjure  you  with  all  the  emphasis  of 
my  lifelong  dealing  with  humanity  on  this  subject,  to  be  guided  by 
your  own  carefully-studied  ideals  in  making  a  life-choice!  If  you  have 
wise  parents,  consult  with  them  early  in  life  about  the  qualities  you 
possess,  and  those  your  true  affinity  should  possess.  Equip  your  mind 
with  these  principles  of  science,  so  vital  to  your  future  happiness.  Be¬ 
fore  you  commit  yourselves  to  a  marriage  engagement,  be  sure,  be 
solemnly  sure  that  you  are  adapted  to  make  your  companion  happy  in 
the  years  to  come,  and  that  that  companion  has  like  adaptation  to  you. 
As  you  approach  the  marriage  altar,  go  forward  thrilled  by  affirmative 
knowledge  that  all  is  well,  and  that  nothing  better  could  be  desired. 
Then,  and  then  only,  can  the  future  open  before  you  with  promise  of 
absolute  joy  and  delight  in  your  union,  and  in  the  thought  of  those  you 
may  bring  into  life  with  the  priceless  heritage  of  being  “well-born!” 

"What  general  rules,  then,  may  be  laid  down  upon  this  important 
subject,  that  may  serve  as  a  guide  for  those  who  are  not  familiar  witli 
the  laws  governing  the  wonderful  mechanism  of  the  human  body  and 
mind? 


WHY  OPPOSITES  ATTRACT  EACH  OTHER 

There  is  a  law  of  nature  of  which  most  people  are  cognizant,  that 
“likes  repel,  while  unlikes  attract.”  Now,  this  law  extends  through 
all  nature,  and  applies  as  well  to  man.  A  woman  strongly  feminine  at¬ 
tracts  and  is  attracted  by  a  man  strongly  masculine;  and  in  propor¬ 
tion  as  a  woman  loses  her  femininity,  and  becomes  masculine,  does  she 
lose  her  attractiveness  to  thoroughly  masculine  men. 


236 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MAREIAGE 


Tall  people  generally  marry  short  ones;  blue  eyes  find  dark  eyes 
most  attractive ;  light  hair  and  complexions  mate  with  those  of  brunette 
type,  etc.  This  rule  of  opposites  is  and  should  be  applied  in  most  things 
physical  and  temperamental.  By  “opposites”  it  must  not  be  under¬ 
stood  that  the  unlikeness  need  be  extreme.  People  of  medium  complex¬ 
ion  may  marry  those  of  lighter  or  darker ;  those  of  medium  height,  per¬ 
sons  taller  or  shorter.  The  important  point  is  to  avoid  sameness.  For 
example,  two  hot  tempers  will  continually  clash ;  a  cool  and  a  hot  head 
would  better  mate.  Two  strongly  nervous  temperaments  should  not 
marry;  they  would  chafe  and  irritate  each  other,  and  produce  still  more 
nervous,  fretful  offspring. 

If  two  persons  of  pronounced  motive  organizations  (those  of  large 
bones  and  compact  muscles,  tall,  angular  build,  prominent  brows  and 
retreating  forehead)  were  to  marry,  their  children  would  be  strongly 
built  physically,  but  homely  and  uncouth,  wilful,  gloomy  and  unsocial 
in  disposition;  of  slow  mental  growth,  and  subject  to  biliousness,  rheu¬ 
matism  and  liver  troubles. 

Two  strongly  vital,  or  sanguine  temperaments  (those  of  small  bones 
but  plump,  round  build  and  a  jovial  disposition),  should  not  mate,  as 
intellect  and  morality  would  be  swallowed  up  in  sensuality.  They 
would  burn  out  life’s  forces  too  fast;  and  their  offspring  would  be  de¬ 
ficient  in  bone  and  solidity  of  muscle  and  solidity  of  character  as  well; 
would  have  scrofulous  or  dropsical  tendencies,  and  being  more  impul¬ 
sive  than  constant,  with  strong  appetites,  they  would  be  liable  to  be¬ 
come  intemperate  or  dissipated. 

Remember  that  the  same  physical  or  temperamental  extremes 
united  in  both  parents  will  produce  still  greater  extremes  in  the  off¬ 
spring.  Whatever  is  very  strong  or  deficient  in  both  parents  alike 
will  be  doubly  strong,  or  doubly  deficient,  in  the  children.  This  is 
why  Nature’s  law  provides  that  unlikes  rather  than  likes  shall  attract. 
When  a  motive  and  a  vital  temperament,  or  a  vital  and  a  mental,  or  a 
mental  and  a  motive  are  united,  the  chances  for  domestic  happiness 
and  harmonious  children  are  much  greater.  Even  the  phlegmatic  tem¬ 
perament  will  combine  well  with  the  motive  or  the  vital. 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MAEKIAGE 


237 


THE  ROBIN  MATES  WITH  A  ROBIN,  NEVER  WITH  AN  ORIOLE 

Leaving  the  differences,  we  have  now  another  law  to  consider.  In 
certain  great  fundamentals  such  as  race,  religion,  and  general  political 
and  social  views.  Nature  decrees  similarity.  There  have  been  happy 
marriages  where  this  rule  was  disregarded,  but  only  in  rare  cases.  The 
robin  mates  with  a  robin,  never  with  an  oriole.  True,  these  are  pro¬ 
gressive  days;  the  spirit  of  federation  is  in  the  air,  yet  in  so  vital  a 
matter  as  marriage,  it  is  better  to  think  twice  before  attempting  to 
blend  elements  which  promise  little  of  harmony  and  much  of  discord. 
We  are  learning  but  slowly  the  lesson  that  “God  created  of  one  blood 
all  the  nations,”  and  because  we  shall  one  day  take  our  university 
degree  in  this  woiiderful  education  is  no  reason  why  we  should  be  in 
haste  to  act  the  part  of  graduates  while  still  in  the  kindergarten. 

One  very  striking  instance  of  this  law  comes  to  my  recollection. 
A  beautiful  white  woman,  a  teacher,  married  an  educated  Indian.  He 
seemed  all  that  could  be  desired  at  the  time  of  marriage;  but  alas!  the 
race  instincts  were  too  strong.  It  was  but  a  short  time  before  he  re¬ 
lapsed  completely  into  the  savage  ways  of  his  people,  adding  one  more 
to  the  list  of  heartbroken  wives,  whose  influence  proved  inadequate  to 
meet  the  tremendous  strain  brought  upon  it.  Husband  and  wife  must 
be  adapted  by  nature  as  well  as  by  education. 

Eegarding  the  religious  instinct,  a  glance  at  history’s  war  pages 
will  convince  the  most  skeptical  that,  like  love  itself,  it  lies  at  the  very 
root  of  humanity’s  greatest  passions.  The  same  emotion  that  raises 
the  soul  to  transcendent  heights,  can,  when  misapplied  and  unguided  by 
reason,  or  when  wrongly  combined,  plunge  the  entire  being  into  the 
depths  of  misery.  I  have  known  many  instances  of  the  marriage  of 
Catholics  to  Protestants,  and  wherever  both  husband  and  wife  remained 
loyal  at  heart  to  their  early  religious  training,  sad  discord,  not  happi¬ 
ness,  has  been  the  result.  Tliere  is  always  great  difficulty  in  such  cases, 
in  determining  the  question  sure  to  arise,  as  to  which  faith  is  to  be  fol¬ 
lowed  in  educating  the  children.  Even  when  there  is  outward  ac¬ 
quiescence,  that  is  not  harmony;  for  wherever  an  inward  protest  re- 


238 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MAREIAGE 


maius  there  can  be  no  perfect  soul-union.  In  fundamentals,  therefore, 
it  is  best  to  marry  one  of  similar  views. 

TV/O  HALVES  ONE  PERFECT  WHOLE 

This  is  the  safest  of  all  laws  to  follow,  with  most  persons;  and  for 
those  of  extreme  temperaments,  it  is  the  only  one.  It  is  merely  to  mate 
with  one  whose  nature  completes,  or  complements  your  own;  possessing 
the  qualities  in  which  yon  are  deficient.  Thus  the  two  halves  blend  into 
a  perfect  whole.  Harmonious,  well-balanced  persons  can  afford  to 
marry  those  of  marked  extremes,  or  even  those  like  themselves;  but 
less  evenly  built  natures  must  seek  to  round  off  their  own  sharp  corners, 
not  by  collision  with  those  equally  sharp,  but  rather  with  the  gentle 
friction  which  both  magnetizes  and  polishes. 

WOMAN  INFLUENCES  THE  BEST  IN  MAN 

The  best  traits  in  men  can  be  brought  out  only  by  the  influence  of 
women;  and  vice  versa.  We  see,  therefore,  hov/  important  it  is  that 
the  right  choice  be  made  of  the  one  who  is  to  wield  this  magic  influ¬ 
ence.  The  young  man  starting  in  life  full  of  hope  and  ambition  may 
have  his  entire  career  gloriously  helped  or  sadly  marred,  according  to 
the  nature  of  the  feminine  influence  to  which  he  is  subject.  Men  of 
genius  or  of  great  attainments  almost  invariably  owe  much  of  their 
power  to  wife  or  mother,  to  sister  or  female  friend.  What  would 
Charles  Lamb  have  accomplished  without  his  sister?  Napoleon’s  down¬ 
fall  has  been  attributed  very  largely  to  his  parting  with  Josephine; 
while  the  influence  of  George  Washington’s  mother  played  no  small 
part  in  our  nation’s  history.  Some  women  have  a  gift  of  inspiring  a 
man  to  do  far  more  and  higher  tasks  than  he  would  have  believed  with¬ 
in  his  power.  Notice  the  effect  on  you  of  conversation  with  different 
ones  of  the  opposite  sex.  One  may  arouse  your  most  brilliant  and  noble 
self  until  you  wonder  at  your  own  power  of  expression;  while  another 
calls  forth  only  your  lower  impulses  and  thoughts.  This  is  true 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MAERIAGE 


239 


throughout  life.  Few  realize  the  extent  of  this  power,  yet  it  is  the 
enchanter’s  wand  indeed,  for  good  or  ill. 

If  a  woman  can  thus  mold  a  man’s  destiny,  even  more  true  is  it  that 
a  wise  or  unwise  choice  in  marriage  controls  a  woman’s  very  life- 
springs. 

‘  ‘  A  loving  woman  finds  Heaven  or  Hell 
On  the  day  she  is  made  a  bride.” 

Love  is  the  mighty,  transforming,  crowning  gift  of  a  woman’s  life; 
her  all.  Far  better  it  is  not  to  wed  at  all  than  consent  to  a  loveless 
union,  or  to  a,marriage  where  undesirable  traits  in  the  chosen  one  cause 
constant  friction  and  depression  of  spirits.  Not  that  either  husband  or 
wife  can  be  faultless;  but  great  care  should  be  taken  that  among  the 
varied  human  imperfections  are  not  those  which  will  one  day  cause  the 
soul  of  the  mate  to  shrink  in  horror,  or  protest  with  vain  distress,  at 
the  acts  or  words  wholly  out  of  keeping  with  its  own  ideals  and  habits 
of  thought. 


QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  MARRIAGE 

A  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body,  both  under  perfect  control,  are  the 
first  requisites  for  all  contemplating  marriage.  These  can  be  culti¬ 
vated.  Happily,  Americans  in  increasing  numbers  are  studying  the 
laws  of  health,  but  many  do  not  even  yet  give  sufficient  thought  to  the 
importance  of  a  well  built  physique. 

‘  ‘  There  is  no  other  thought  in  the  world  so  appalling  and  so  fraught 
with  pathos,”  says  Dorothy  Dix,  “as  that  of  millions  of  deformed  and 
sickly  children  whose  parents  bequeath  them  nothing  else  but  disease 
and  death.  Nothing  can  atone  for  the  crime  that  unhealthy  people 
commit  against  the  individual  child  they  bring  into  the  world  by  mar¬ 
riage,  and  against  society;  and  anything  that  will  tend  to  lessen  it, 
or  even  arouse  the  public  conscience  on  the  subject,  is  a  blessing  to 
humanity. 

“When  a  girl  who  falls  in  love  with  and  marries  a  dissipated  man, 
thinks  of  the  future,  she  doesn ’t  see  herself  dragged  down  to  poverty. 


240 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MAEEIAGE 


a  hollo w-ejed,  anxious  woman,  getting  up  in  the  night  to  open  the 
door  for  a  maudlin  man.  Still  less  does  she  see  herself  the  mother  of 
sickly  little  children.  She  imagines  herself,  by  virtue  of  that  beautiful 
wifely  influence  of  which  we  hear  so  much  and  see  so  little,  leading 
him  up  to  the  higher  life,  and  it  is  this  picture  of  herself  as  a  guardian 
angel  that  makes  her  rush  into  taking  a  step  that  she  spends  the  bal¬ 
ance  of  her  life  in  repenting.  We  can  all  count  upon  the  fingers  of  one 
hand  the  women  we  have  known  that  have  actually  reformed  men,  but 
it  would  take  a  patent  adding  machine  to  enumerate  all  the  ones  we 
know  who  have  wrecked  their  lives  trying  to  do  it. 

“The  young  man  who  marries  a  sickly  girl  makes  an  equally  fatal 
mistake.  When  a  warm-hearted  and  generous  young  fellow  falls  in 
love  with  an  ethereal  looking  young  creature,  he  pictures  himself 
chivalrously  protecting  and  cherishing  her,  and  keeping  the  wind  from 
blowing  coldly  upon  her,  and  thus  winning  the  roses  back  to  her  cheeks, 
as  the  hero  does  in  a  Laura  Jean  Libby  novel,  and  he  goes  and  mar¬ 
ries  her  on  that  romantic  hypothesis.  Do  you  suppose  that  if  he  had 
any  conception  of  what  having  an  invalid  wife  means  to  a  man  he 
would  do  it?  If  he  is  a  poor  man,  it  means  that  he  spends  his  days 
toiling  to  pay  drug  bills  and  doctors’  bills.  Whether  he  is  rich  or 
poor  it  means  that  he  goes  home  at  night  to  an  ill-kept  house,  to  dark¬ 
ened  rooms,  to  humoring  a  sick  person’s  whims,  to  querulous  com¬ 
plaints,  and  hysterics,  and  nerves.  There  is  no  martyr  in  all  the 
calendar  of  saints  more  deserving  of  our  reverence  and  adoration  than 
the  husband  who  bears  patiently  with  an  invalid  wife;  but  any  man 
who  is  kept  from  getting  himself  into  such  a  scrape  as  marrying  a 
delicate  woman  ought  to  erect  a  monument  to  the  person  who  saved 
his  life.” 

But  such  sacrifices  need  not  be,  for  a  good  physique  is  withiji  the 
reach  of  all.  Outdoor  exercise  will  do  and  is  already  doing  much  to 
transform  life  from  a  pale  dream  into  a  rosy  delight.  Excess  is  to  be 
avoided;  that  has  always  been  the  chief  danger  of  the  bicycle;  but 
golf  links,  tennis  courts,  skating  ponds  and  gardens  alike  testify  to 
the  presence  of  the  bright,  energetic  and  altogether  charming  modem 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MARRIAGE 


241 


American  girl,  who  now  bids  fair  to  rival  her  sensible  English  sister 
in  laying  a  good  foundation  for  robust  health  and  strength.  This  is 
the  right  tendency;  and  the  best  mothers  will  prove  to  be  those  who 
thus  built  up  their  own  health  before  marriage,  and  insist  upon  a  like 
wholesome  exercise  for  their  daughters. 

THE  GOOD  HOUSEWIFE 

In  household  skill  also — another  and  important  mark  of  fitness 
for  marriage — the  American  girl  is  improving.  The  establishment  of 
domestic  science  as  a  study  in  many  of  our  public  schools  is  a  step 
full  of  hopeful  significance  for  the  future  homes  of  our  country.  We 
shall  have  less  pale,  overworked,  dragged-out  housewives  when  we 
have  a  larger  proportion  of  trained  minds  combined  with  deft  hands, 
to  make  the  household  routine  a  fine  art  instead  of  a  wearisome 
drudgery. 

A  CLEAR  BRAIN 

Character  is  often  displayed  in  letter-writing.  It  is  surprising 
how  many  graduates  of  high  schools,  and  even  higher  institutions  of 
learning,  use  slipshod  English,  spell  incorrectly,  and  find  great  diffi¬ 
culty  in  expressing  their  thoughts.  A  clear  brain  is  certainly  an  es¬ 
sential  quality  in  a  life-partner;  and  this  is  shown  in  writing  and  also 
in  the  power  to  contribute  a  fair  share  to  the  conversation.  This 
applies  to  women  quite  as  much  as  to  men.  “Small  talk,”  if  of  the 
right  kind  of  smallness,  is  not  to  be  despised.  It  helps  another  sympa¬ 
thetically  over  many  a  rough  place,  caused  by  some  thoughtless  remark 
or  awkward  silence.  And  to  be  able  to  converse  well  on  topics  of  wider 
interest  is  still  better. 

The  chief  value,  however,  of  a  ready  flow  of  language  is  that  the 
gift  of  eloquence  passes  down,  often  in  an  increased  degree,  to  tbe 
children.  Usually  this  occurs  more  readily  through  the  mother;  hence 
in  choosing  a  wife,  a  good  talker  is  to  be  desired.  Who  knows  but 
a  great  statesman  may  thus  be  called  into  being? 

Musical  talent,  also,  is  to  be  desired,  for  the  same  reasons;  and 

16— L  S 


242 


A  SUCCESSFUL  MARRIAGE 


a  good  general  education.  Still  more  essential  is  that  intelligence 
which  is  equal  to  the  emergencies  of  life,  and  shows  ability  to  weigh 
facts  and  decide  well  in  matters  of  practical  moment.  Reasoning 
powers  are  of  priceless  value,  ranging  far  above  superficial  accom¬ 
plishments. 

STERLING  MORAL  INTEGRITY 

is,  of  course,  the  most  important  of  all.  Any  lack  in  conscience  or 
moral  uprightness  is  readily  transmitted,  and  the  worst  results  fol¬ 
low.  That  wifely  influence  of  which  Dorothy  Dix  is  a  little  incredu¬ 
lous,  is  a  very  real  and  a  very  powerful  thing;  but  just  as  in  the  work 
of  a  skilled  gardener,  there  must  first  be  the  right  seed,  the  aspira¬ 
tion  and  general  tendency  to  right  living,  on  the  part  of  the  one  to  be 
helped.  With  this  once  assured,  a  wife’s  loving  tactful  influence  can 
do  much.  Without  it,  an  angel  could  not  uplift  anyone. 

SHOULD  COUSINS  MARRY? 

The  danger  to  offspring  where  cousins  wed,  has  been  overrated. 
Much  depends  on  the  similarities  and  differences  of  the  individuals. 
If  they  are  much  alike,  it  is  unwise  to  marry,  for  in  that  case  the 
children  would  be  defective.  But  if  cousins  resembling  the  unrelated 
sides  of  the  family  wish  to  marry,  they  may  do  so  with  perfect  safety. 
For  instance,  if  a  daughter  resemble  her  father,  other  conditions  being 
satisfactory,  she  may  marry  her  mother’s  nephew;  especially  if  he 
resemble  the  parent  unrelated  to  her  mother. 

Let  no  one  be  discouraged  by  the  necessity  for  care  in  choosing 
a  mate.  It  is  the  most  important  business  in  life,  yet  when  the  choice 
has  been  thoughtfully  made,  rest  assured  that  minor  mistakes  will  be 
overruled  in  the  light  of  love  and  truth. 

“There’s  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 

Rough-hew  them  though  we  may.” 

For,  after  all  the  reasoning  has  been  done,  there  is  still  the  intu¬ 
ition,  the  inner,  enlightened  spiritual  sense,  which  if  followed,  never 
leads  astray.  False  education  alone  prevents  it  from  becoming  the 
safe,  supreme  and  universal  guide. 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


Love  the  Very  Heart  of  Poetry — “The  Spirit  and  Spring  of  the 
Universe” — A  Sweet  Love  Poem — Courtship  a  Universal 
Intuition — Safeguards  of  the  Mating  Period — Girls,  Con¬ 
fide  in  Your  Mothers! — Cultivating  New  Graces  for  the 
“Other’s”  Sake — Marrying  for  Money  an  Insult  to  Nature 
— Dollars  Not  the  Test — Know  How  to  be  Breadwinners — 
The  Best  Time  to  Marry. 


Nature’s  pencil  never  lingers  so  daintily  and  tenderly  in  any  of 
her  other  pictures  as  in  that  of  the  mating-time.  It  is  as  natural  to 
love  and  to  marry  as  it  is  to  breathe.  And  “when  a  man’s  in  love” 
how  the  very  rocks  and  clouds  take  on  the  aspect  of  the  loved  one’s 
features! 

George  Brimley  says:  “Only  conceive  the  passion  of  love  blotted 
out  from  the  pages  of  our  great  poets — from  Chaucer,  from  Spencer, 
from  Shakespeare,  from  Milton;  what  a  sky  without  its  sun  would 
remain,  what  an  earth  without  its  verdure,  its  streams,  and  its  flow¬ 
ers!”  And  Helen  Oldfield  forcibly  adds:  “What  would  become  of 
‘Romeo  and  Juliet,’  of  the  ‘Midsummer  Night’s  Dream’!  What  of 
the  ‘Faerie  Queene,’  of  Shelley’s  songs,  of  Keats’  ‘Endymion,’  of 
Coleridge’s  ‘Genevieve,’  of  Longfellow’s  ‘Evangeline,’  of  Tennyson’s 
‘Idylls’?  Something,  no  doubt,  would  he  left  of  their  beauty  and 
sweetness,  something  to  attract  in  the  grand  thoughts,  the  vivid  natu¬ 
ral  descriptions;  hut  even  these  would  lack  a  charm  which  insensibly 
mingles  with  and  enhances  them  now,  Plere  and  there  some  short 
lyric  would  hold  its  own,  especially  if  wedded  to  fine  music,  hut  the 
bulk  of  poetry  would  he  consigned  to  oblivion.  By  the  light  of  love 

243 


244 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


when  tlie  world  was  young,  blind  Homer  told  the  tales  of  Troy,  the  story 
in  which  Helen  has  lived  through  all  the  ages;  by  the  light  of  love  Mil- 
ton  pictured  the  pure  joys  of  Eden;  by  the  light  of  love  Shakespeare 
dreamed  of  Florizel  and  the  fair  Perdita ;  by  the  light  of  love  Spencer 
created  the  legend  of  the  Red  Cross  Knight  and  ‘heavenly  Una  with 
her  milk  white  lamb’;  by  the  light  of  love  Tasso  sang  the  mystic 
strains  of  the  ‘Jerusalem  Delivered’;  by  the  light  of  love  Petrarch 
was  inspired  to  pour  out  in  immortal  song  the  praises  of  his  Laura; 
and  by  the  light  of  love  Tennyson  beheld  the  fair  vision  of  Elaine, 
‘the  Lily  Maid  of  Astolat.’ 


THE  TENDER  AFFECTION  OF  HUSBAND  AND  WIFE 

“Yet,  despite  its  prominence  in  romance  and  in  history,  love  in 
the  abstract  is  a  subject  rarely  discussed  in  the  family  circle,  and  upon 
such  rare  occasions  it  is  more  often  treated  as  a  joke  than  otherwise. 
Jest  and  teasing,  ‘making  fun,’  form  the  attitude  usually  assumed 
towards  this  central  fact  of  life ;  that  which  constitutes  the  holiest  and 
strongest  of  human  ties,  the  sweet  passion  which  South  has  called 
‘the  great  instrument  of  nature,  the  bond  and  cement  of  society,  the 
spirit  and  spring  of  the  universe,’  the  feeling  which  rightly  prompted 
and  wisely  controlled,  elevates,  warms  and  brightens  life,  which  softens 
sorrow,  mitigates  suffering,  and  increases  joy.  Counsel  concerning  it 
is  for  the  most  part  deemed  unnecessary;  counsel  that  it  should  not 
be  lightly  given  nor  carelessly  accepted;  that  the  heart  should  dis¬ 
criminate  with  care  and  serious  thought  between  true  love  and  evanes¬ 
cent  fancy;  that  its  sacred  halo  of  glory  should  not  be  used  to  crown 
an  unworthy  object;  that  it  cannot  lead  to  happiness  when  reason  and 
judgment  declare  against  it;  such  advice  as  this,  so  essential  to  the 
good  of  young  people,  especially  young  girls,  is  not  often  insisted  upon 
by  parents.  Teachers  of  youth,  as  a  rule,  ignore  love  altogether  in 
their  scheme  of  instruction;  beaux  are  not  allowed  to  pupils  at  female 
seminaries.  Seldom,  if  ever,  is  the  subject  mentioned  from  the  pulpit, 
although  when  the  apostle  sought  a  fitting  simile  for  Christ’s  love 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


245 


for  his  church  he  could  find  no  better  than  the  tender  affection  be¬ 
tween  true  husband  and  faithful  wife,  and  although  the  religion  which 
teaches  that  God  Himself  is  love,  and  love  His  best  gift  to  human¬ 
ity,  might  well  remind  its  disciples  that  no  love  can  be  blessed  which 
is  not  purified  by  religious  feeling;  which  they  cannot  take  with  them 
to  the  altar  of  God  with  thanksgiving  and  prayers  for  His  blessing. 
‘Love  one  human  being  with  warmth  and  purity,’  says  Jean  Paul 
Richter,  ‘and  thou  wilt  love  the  world.’ 

“  ‘It  is  not  because  your  heart  is  mine,  mine  only, 

Mine  alone; 

It  is  not  because  you  chose  me,  poor  and  lonely. 

For  your  own; 

But  because  this  human  Love,  though  true  and  sweet. 

Yours  and  mine, 

Has  been  sent  by  Love  more  tender,  more  complete. 

Love  divine; 

That  it  leads  our  hearts  to  rest  at  last  in  Heaven, 

Far  above  you, 

Do  I  take  you  as  a  gift  that  God  has  given. 

And  I  love  you.’  ” 

HOW  TO  DISTINGUISH  LOVE  FROM  FASCINATION 

The  world  is  growing  more  spiritual  in  its  love-forces;  yet  how 
slowly.  Thousands  of  men  and  women  will  never  know  the  achieve¬ 
ments  that  might  have  been  theirs,  nor  the  heights  to  which  they  might 
have  risen,  had  they  but  recognized  the  grand  purpose  of  their  own 
interior  powers.  For  the  sex-element,  in  its  second  or  attractive 
function  alone,  manifests  itself  on  two  distinct  planes — that  of  physical 
love,  or  personal  magnetism;  and  that  of  the  spiritual,  or  soul-affec¬ 
tion.  The  physical  rises  and  falls  with  the  vitality  or  animal  vigor. 
The  other,  being  an  expression  of  the  soul,  is  not  subject  to  physical 
conditions  or  changes,  but  depends  upon  soul-harmony,  and  its  action 
produces  an  intense  longing  for  soul-sympathy  and  companionship. 


246 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


Both  these  phases  of  love  exist  in  every  normal  individual.  In 
man,  the  physical  usually  predominates ;  in  woman,  the  spiritual.  Both 
are  essential  for  health,  harmony,  happiness  and  the  propagation  of 
the  species.  The  abnormal  expression  of  the  physical  leads  to  sensu¬ 
ality  and  desecration;  of  the  spiritual  makes  one  unduly  sentimental, 
but  of  this  there  is  far  less  danger. 

Thousands  of  marriages,  especially  on  brief  acquaintance,  are 
based  on  magnetic  attraction  or  physical  love  alone,  without  soul 
union.  These  are  the  marriages  that  are  apt  to  prove  failures.  Some¬ 
times,  even  in  these,  there  develops  a  soul  harmony,  but  otherwise  the 
results  are  most  unfortunate. 

Magnetic  power  and  physical  love  increase  by  nearness  and  fre¬ 
quency  of  association,  and  diminish  by  separation,  easily  forming  new 
attachments;  while  spiritual  love,  or  soul-affinity  is  quite  as  strong 
under  separation.  Difference,  not  distance,  separates  souls.  This  ex¬ 
plains  why  woman’s  love,  which  partakes  so  largely  of  the  spiritual 
quality,  is  stronger  than  death  itself.  It  is  the  greatest  power  in  the 
world. 

From  these  facts  it  will  appear  why  it  is  best  that  the  final  decision 
be  never  made  in  the  presence  of  the  loved  one.  It  is  better  to  decide 
when  alone.  Judgment,  if  thus  given  a  chance,  will  endorse  a  genuine 
soul-affection,  but  will  save  one  from  the  mistake  of  yielding  to  a  mere 
temporary  physical  fascination  which  would  not  lead  to  happiness. 

For  the  same  reason,  it  is  often  well  for  an  engaged  couple,  as  an 
understood  test,  to  separate  for  a  time  and  communicate  only  at  long 
intervals,  and  even  associate  with  other  company  of  a  pleasing,  agree¬ 
able  character.  If  the  inner  self  holds  to  its  mate  with  undiminished 
interest,  then  the  attachment  may  be  relied  on  as  being  more  than 
magnetic. 

LOVE’S  GOLDEN  RULE 

Success  in  love,  as  in  all  else,  comes  from  within.  Those  who 
would  be  loved  have  but  to  cultivate  and  manifest  those  qualities 
which  they  know  to  be  lovable.  Be  manly,  if  you  are  a  man;  be  woman- 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


247 


ly,  if  you  are  a  woman.  Esteem,  if  you  would  be  esteemed;  admire, 
if  you  would  be  admired;  avoid  all  subjects  and  acts  which  are  likely 
to  be  distasteful  or  to  arouse  antagonistic  feelings. 

Men  have  long  since  noticed  how  fond  women  are  of  repetition  of 
specific  announcements  and  declarations  in  all  matters  that  pertain 
to  love;  it  is  one  of  woman’s  true  feminine  privileges  to  require  these 
expressions.  Eloquence  stands  a  lover  in  good  stead;  but  nobility  of 
character  and  delicate  thoughtfulness  in  all  the  little  courtesies  of  life 
ore  of  still  more  importance  in  determining  his  success;  while  they  are 
equally  essential  to  every  woman. 

In  the  early  days  of  courtship  it  is  well  for  the  young  people  to 
meet  often;  but  always  in  the  presence  of  others.  To  learn  each  oth¬ 
er’s  tastes,  preferences,  habits  and  views;  to  see  if  they  are  indeed 
“congenial  spirits”  possessing  similar  likes  and  dislikes;  for  this  pur¬ 
pose  meeting  in  the  presence  of  others  is  a  better  test  than  being  much 
alone  together.  If  under  varied  circumstances  you  find  that  the  one 
whom  you  admire  acts  and  feels  as  you  yourself  would  act  or  feel,  en¬ 
joys  what  you  enjoy,  dislikes  what  you  dislike,  and  condemns  what 
you  condemn,  not  from  a  wish  to  agree  with  you,  but  of  his  or  her  own 
freg  will,  that  one  is  seen  to  be  congenial.  Yet  this  is  not  sufficient. 
The  laws  of  selection  are  now  to  be  considered ;  for  many  people  are  so 
magnetic  that  they  attract  and  are  attracted  by  a  large  number  of 
persons  who  make  pleasing  social  companions,  but  who  may  or  may 
not  be  suited  for  the  tenderer  and  more  lasting  relation. 

A  noted  writer  calls  courtship  “the  very  finest  of  the  lost  arts.” 
In  a  deeper  sense,  the  art  was  never  lost;  it  is  stored  within  the  re¬ 
cesses  of  every  human  heart.  In  this  as  in  all  else  pertaining  to  love 
and  marriage,  it  is  true  that  Intuition,  the  voice  of  the  soul,  is  Nature’s 
highest  teacher.  Yet  so  many  fail  to  follow  this  guide,  and  so  many 
slips  and  sad  mistakes  result,  that  it  is  well  to  consider  just  what 
course  to  pursue  in  order  to  keep  the  rose-tinted  promise  of  love’s 
morning  from  turning  to  gray  before  the  sun  has  fully  dawned  with 
its  steadier  glow. 


248 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


THE  BEGINNINGS  OF  LOVE 

At  first,  the  young  man  and  maiden  are  only  “very  good  friends.” 
They  have  found  each  other  congenial,  and  enjoy  meeting  often.  Be¬ 
fore  this  friendship  gradually  ripens  into  a  warmer  feeling,  too  much 
care  cannot  be  taken  to  be  sure  that  the  selection  is  a  wise  one.  Once 
let  Cupid  come  within  range,  and  he  may  destroy  judgment  before  it 
has  a  chance  to  act.  Lock  him  out  until  you  are  ready  for  his  presence. 
It  is  the  only  safe  way. 

SELECTION  MUST  COME  FIRST 

In  France,  Germany,  Switzerland  and  other  countries,  the  greatest 
safeguards  surround  young  people  in  their  mating  period.  They  are 
never  left  alone  together;  are  continually  watched  and  guarded  by 
parents  and  friends  in  a  way  that  the  American  young  person  would 
deeply  resent.  Yet  it  is  much  the  better  way  to  insure  the  future  hap¬ 
piness  of  both  parties,  and  save  them  from  being  swept  blindly  along 
by  unreasoning  passion  or  at  the  best,  by  evanescent  fancy,  until  it  is 
too  late  to  repair  the  mischief  wrought.  The  result  of  the  mildest  of 
these  errors  is  an  extremely  embarrassing  tangle,  forcing  one  or  the 
other  to  withdraw  promises  made  or  assurances  given;  while  no  pen 
can  portray  the  heartbreaking,  terrible  results  where  the  error  has 
been  of  the  more  serious  nature,  as  it  is  in  countless  cases  where  the 
present  American  methods  prevail.  Not  that  our  girls  are  less  mod¬ 
est  and  self-respecting  than  those  of  other  nations;  but  the  tempta¬ 
tions  are  greater.  Thousands  of  ruined  lives,  with  the  circumstances 
known  only  to  the  physician  and  parents,  are  my  justification  for  say¬ 
ing  that  young  people  should  not  be  thus  left  unguarded.  I  know 
whereof  I  speak;  it  is  no  theory,  but  an  actual  condition,  that  impels 
the  warning.  If  young  people  once  understood  that  wise  parents  can 
save  them  from  endless  minor  hurts,  embarrassments  and  disappoint¬ 
ments,  as  well  as  from  the  graver  dangers,  by  their  loving  watchful¬ 
ness  at  such  a  time,  it  would  be  welcomed  and  not  resented.  A  young 
woman  who  makes  her  mother  her  confidante  has  many  advantages. 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


249 


The  task  of  selection  becomes  easier;  she  has  a  wise  and  loving  coun¬ 
sellor  to  help  her  with  the  hardest  problems  which  are  likely  to  arise, 
and  she  has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  her  choice  is  approved 
by  one  whose  affection  for  her  has  been  of  the  purest  and  most  un¬ 
selfish  kind  throughout  her  whole  life. 

LOVE’S  CASTLE-BUILDING 

“If  you  have  built  castles  in  the  air,”  says  Thoreau,  “your  work 
need  not  be  lost;  that  is  where  they  should  be.  Now  put  the  founda¬ 
tions  under  them.” 

In  the  golden  time  of  Love’s  castle-building,  when  the  momentous 
question  has  finally  been  asked  and  answered,  and  the  happy  plans 
are  being  made  for  the  future  home,  then  is  the  time  to  adjust  all  the 
little  differences  and  decide  on  the  details  of  the  change  to  be  made. 
It  is  the  woman’s  privilege  to  choose  the  day;  and  she  should  not  be 
hurried.  To  adapt  one’s  self  to  so  important  a  change  and  prepare 
for  it  in  the  fullest  sense,  requires  time,  and  meanwhile  what  happiness 
could  be  purer  or  sweeter  than  that  of  the  lovers  as  they  thus  prepare 
for  the  eventful  day  when  they  are  to  assume  life’s  greatest  responsi¬ 
bilities? 

Each  should  strive  to  attain  the  highest  degree  of  physical  health; 
and  each  will  find  it  a  pleasant  task  to  cultivate  new  graces  and  banish 
old  defects  for  the  sake  of  the  greater  happiness  of  the  other.  Then 
there  are  the  practical  questions  regarding  the  new  home  life,  to  be 
considered;  whether  the  couple  will  board,  rent  a  house  or  apartments, 
or  build  a  nest  of  their  own;  where  it  shall  be  located;  how  it  shall  be 
furnished,  and  the  like;  together  with  the  general  rules  of  family  life 
to  be  adopted.  It  is  well  to  have  all  details  which  might  occasion  dis¬ 
pute  or  misunderstanding,  adjusted  in  advance;  it  conduces  to  the 
greater  harmony  of  the  married  life.  Through  all  the  happy  waiting 
time,  let  Love  reign  supreme.  Together  or  apart,  the  lovers  will  now 
own  Cupid’s  sway,  and  affection  should  be  freely  expressed;  remember¬ 
ing  always  that  the  best  preservative  of  love  is  purity. 


250 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


LOVERS’  QUARRELS 

Lovers’  quarels  often  have  sad  endings;  it  is  never  wise  to  indulge 
in  them  with  the  mistaken  notion  that  the  reconciliation,  if  it  come  at 
all,  can  ever  put  matters  quite  on  the  old  basis.  A  part,  at  least,  of  the 
perfect  soul-hannony  has  been  destroyed;  mutual  respect  diminished, 
and  Love  cannot  illumine  the  life  with  the  same  steady  glow  as  before 
the  foolish  little  shadow  was  allowed  to  creep  in.  For  the  same  reason, 
a  teasing  or  domineering  manner,  a  too  great  familiarity,  flirting,  even 
a  mild  type,  the  gambling,  drink  or  tobacco  habit,  extremes  in  dress, 
and  all  similar  weaknesses  should  be  banished  as  unworthy  to  intrude 
on  the  sweet  sacredness  of  the  life  that  is  now  coming  to  mean  so  much. 
When  young  persons  preparing  for  marriage  lay  aside  the  crude  follies 
of  their  earlier  years,  it  is  a  sign,  not  of  weakness,  but  of  strength;  it 
indicates  true  love,  with  all  its  refining,  maturing,  uplifting  power. 
Do  not  trifle  with  yourselves,  or  with  each  other,  young  folks,  during 
this  time  of  preparation;  it  is  too  beautiful  and  joyous  a  period  to  be 
thus  spoiled.  Happiness  depends  on  keeping  the  standards  of  life  high, 
that  each  may  fulfill  the  other’s  ideals. 

WHEN  TO  MARRY 

The  age  at  which  people  should  marry  is  something  which  must 
be  determined  largely  by  circumstances;  but  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  is  young  enough,  and  in  many  cases  educational  or  health  require¬ 
ments  would  postpone  marriage  until  several  years  later.  The  husband 
may  suitably  be  a  few  years  older  than  the  wife;  although  the  generally 
accepted  fact  that  women  age  faster  than  men,  will  hardly  prove  true 
as  the  present  century  advances,  and  women  become  more  and  more 
versed  in  the  art  of  so  caring  for  their  own  health  as  to  retain  youth 
and  beauty. 

The  courtship  and  engagement  should  be  extended  enough  to  allow 
the  two  young  people  to  become  thoroughly  well  acquainted,  and  the 
younger  they  are,  the  longer  this  should  be.  Two  years  should  be  a 


CUPID’S  CONQUEST 


251 


reasonable  time  in  many  cases.  Love,  if  of  the  right  kind,  only  ripens 
and  strengthens  by  waiting,  but  after  such  reasonable  time,  the  wait¬ 
ing  should  not  be  needlessly  prolonged.  The  most  convenient  time  of 
year  is  often  the  vacation  period,  and  June  is  so  beautiful  a  month  that 
it  is  little  wonder  it  is  the  favored  one  in  so  many  instances.  As  to  the 
time  in  the  month,  a  woman  will  naturally  prefer  that  it  be  delayed 
until  after  the  menstrual  period.  About  twelve  days  after  recovering 
from  such  period  is  the  best  time  to  choose;  as  this  is  said  to  be  nature’s 
time  of  sterility  in  woman. 

When  Cupid’s  conquest  is  complete — when  the  day  of  all  day  ar¬ 
rives,  with  the  choice  wisely  made  and  the  time  of  preparation  well 
spent,  how  God  and  nature  smile  on  such  a  union!  How  the  heartbeats 
quicken  with  joy! 


THE  HONEYMOON 


THE  HONEYMOON  SPIRIT  FOR  LIFE-THE  FIRST  WEDDED  PRIVACY_THE 
MAIDEN  WIFE’S  EMBARRASSMENT-THE  HUSBAND’S  BEST  POLICY 
—LOVE’S  GREATEST  PRIVILEGE— ALLOW  NO  CRITICISMS 
BY  OUTSIDERS-HOW  TO  AVOID  DISCORD- 
MUTUAL  AND  PERPETUAL  GIVERS 


There  was  a  custom  in  Bible  times  of  excusing  every  young  husband 
from  war  or  public  service  during  the  first  married  year.  He  was  to 
“ stay  at  home ”  and  “ comfort  his  wife. ”  What  a  happy  idea!  If  this 
custom  of  extending  the  honeymoon  for  a  year  could  be  modernized, 
it  would  be  a  great  improvement  on  the  present  method.  But  better 
still  is  the  plan,  within  reach  of  all,  of  continuing  the  spirit  of  the  honey¬ 
moon  throughout  the  entire  wedded  life.  As  the  shoals  and  quicksands 
are  reached — and  they  are  likely,  indeed,  to  throng  the  first  year  of  the 
marital  voyage — they  can  be  avoided  and  even  fumed  to  good  account, 
with  patience  at  the  helm.  They  are  inherent  in  the  differing  constitu¬ 
tions,  educations,  associations  and  views;  yet  if  rightly  met,  will  not 
long  have  the  power  to  chafe,  and  may  even  be  of  mutual  benefit. 
Love’s  magic  turns  the  very  stones  into  flowers. 

Let  the  newly  married  couple  take  a  holiday,  the  longer  the  better, 
and  enjoy  together  the  beauties  of  Nature,  and  all  that  they  can  com¬ 
mand  of  the  treasures  of  art,  music  and  literature;  let  them  read  to¬ 
gether,  and  discuss  what  they  read.  Through  the  activity  of  the  in¬ 
tellect  the  other  faculties  are  developed  and  harmonized,  and  the  af¬ 
fections  cemented;  and  the  long  lovers’  rides,  walks,  and  talks  thus 
store  up  treasures,  not  only  in  the  memory,  but  in  health  and  happi¬ 
ness,  welding  the  two  lives  more  perfectly  into  one  harmonious  whole. 

Perfect  freedom  from  business  and  all  other  cares  is  required  for 

252 


THE  HONEYMOON 


253 


tile  real  enjoyment  of  the  honeymoon.  During  the  sacred  season  of 
the  first  wedded  privacy,  the  bride  and  groom  do  well  to  go  away,  and 
if  possible  spend  it  where  curious  neighbors,  critical  relatives  or  ex¬ 
tremes  of  heat  or  cold  will  not  add  discomfort  to  the  delicately  trying 
situation  of  the  new  relationship.  With  the  most  favorable  conditions, 
it  will  still  be  no  slight  task,  for  two  persons  accustomed  to  seeing  each 
other  well  dressed,  to  prevent  a  slight  feeling  of  disillusionment  when 
the  neglige  is  first  donned  in  each  other’s  presence;  when  the  curl¬ 
papers  are  in  evidence  and  the  quoting  of  poetry  is  possibly  replaced 
by,  or  mingled  with,  the  sewing  on  of  buttons.  It  requires  time  to 
learn  to  regard  these  little  daily  intimacies  as  a  matter  of  course;  but 
with  love  as  a  foundation,  they  soon  come  to  seem  natural,  and  grow 
more  dear  as  the  months  and  years  pass. 

THE  HONEYMOON 

From  time  immemorial,  custom  has  accorded  to  the  newly-made 
husband  and  wife  the  privilege  of  occupying  the  same  room  and  the 
same  bed.  The  room  should  be  one  where  the  greatest  privacy  is  as¬ 
sured;  for  of  all  experiences  belonging  exclusively  to  wedded  lovers, 
this  of  the  intimacy  of  marriage  must  be  most  sacredly  respected. 

“For  the  fire 

Which  burns  upon  that  altar  is  of  God. 

Its  tongues  of  flame  throughout  all  time  and  space 
Speak  but  one  language,  understood  by  all. 

But  sacred  ever  to  the  wedded  hearts 
That  listen  to  their  ^breathings.” 

THE  NEWLY  WEDDED  PAIR 

Self-control,  gentleness  and  kind  thoughtfulness  on  the  part  of  the 
husband  are  of  the  utmost  importance  at  this  most  trying  time  for  the 
young  bride.  As  Dr.  Florence  Dressier  well  says; 

‘  ‘  The  maiden- wife  comes  to  the  arms  of  her  husband  weighed  down 


254 


THE  HONEYMOON 


with,  embarrassment,  which  only  time  can  dispel.  If  love  and  kindness 
do  not  govern  his  heart  at  this  time,  the  husband’s  chances  for  future 
happiness  are  slender.  Passion,  in  young  women,  is  rarely  developed 
until  after  marriage.  If  its  unfolding  does  not  come  by  degrees  in  the 
wooing  winds  of  love,  the  deepest  joys  and  benefits  of  marriage  can 
never  be  realized.  The  memory  of  rudeness  and  lustful  violence  on  the 
wedding  night  has  made  many  a  husband  an  object  of  repulsion  there’ 
after.  Disappointment  too  deep  to  be  expressed  comes  to  the  bride  who 
has  found  herself  in  the  embrace  of  a  human  gorilla,  when  she  had 
expected  to  find  a  man  whose  fine  nature  would  recognize  her  rights 
and  desires,  and  whose  tender  thoughtfulness  would  speak  more  elo¬ 
quently  than  words,  of  the  love  in  his  heart.” 

There  may  be  kindness  without  love,  but  there  cannot  be  love  with¬ 
out  kindness.  The  more  truly  the  newly  wedded  pair  love  each  other, 
the  more  will  their  unselfish  consideration  overflow  in  the  minutest 
actions.  Let  there  be  no  neglect  of  the  little  attentions  that  help  to 
keep  love ’s  flame  burning  brightly.  The  crowning  desire  of  each  should 
be  to  make  the  other  as  happy  as  possible.  No  human  luxury  equals 
this  priceless  privilege. 

PROVOKE  LOVE  BY  ITS  EXPRESSION 

The  expression  or  exercise  of  any  faculty,  as  we  have  seen,  increases 
the  blood-supply  to  the  part  of  the  brain  controlling  that  faculty,  and 
renders  it  still  more  powerful  and  active.  Not  only  is  this  true,  but  its 
exercise  awakens  or  enkindles  the  same  faculty  in  those  around.  An¬ 
ger,  whether  in  man  or  beast,  provokes  anger.  Laughter,  as  all  know, 
is  contagious;  so  is  sadness.  Eeligious  revivals  proceed  on  the  same 
principle,  the  intense  devotional  spirit  starting  with  one  or  more  who, 
being  magnetic,  quickly  inspire  others  with  a  similar  feeling.  Love  is 
subject  to  the  same  law.  If  you  would  have  your  honeymoon  last  for¬ 
ever,  beware  of  the  time  when  the  business  and  home  cares  which  must 
be  assumed,  are  gradually  allowed  to  crowd  out  of  the  time  and 
thoughts  all  expressions  of  tenderness.  There  is  no  need,  however  busy 


THE  HONEYMOON 


255 


either  may  be,  of  this  neglect  to  be  affectionate  in  manner.  Whatever 
the  duties,  let  love  be  kept  bright.  Enkindle  the  pure  flames  ever  anew, 
by  words  and  acts  of  affection;  and  let  no  mistaken  sense  of  propriety 
stand  in  the  way  of  these  demonstrations.  Loving  courtesies  between 
married  folk  should  be  the  rule,  in  public  as  well  as  in  private.  Any 
lack  of  them  is  odious  to  all  right-thinking  observers. 

There  is  less  danger,  perh^s  during  the  honeymoon  than  later  in 
the  year,  of  the  little  causes  of  discord  that  creep  in;  yet  sometimes 
they  appear  even  thus  early,  and  one  cannot  be  too  careful  to  avoid  the 
entering  wedge  of  dissension.  Instead,  Love’s  welcome  chains  may  be 
riveted  firmly  by  making  every  act,  word  and  thought  in  some  way  an 
expression  of  the  wish  of  each  to  add  to  the  happiness  of  the  other. 


BEWARE  OF  MEDDLERS 

Thousands  of  marriages,  especially  among  young  people,  are  ren¬ 
dered  unhappy  by  the  indiscreet,  unkind  criticisms  of  relatives.  Some¬ 
times  these  criticisms  are  made  with  the  best  of  motives,  but  they  al¬ 
most  invariably  do  harm.  There  are  people  with  excellent  intentions, 
whose  only  desire  is  to  do  good,  but  who  are  so  narrow  in  their  think¬ 
ing  as  to  disapprove  of  everyone  whose  ways  differ  from  their  own. 
Trying  indeed  is  the  situation  when  a  young  bride  or  bridegroom  has 
been  unfortunate  enough  to  fail  to  meet  the  cordial  approval  of  such 
a  member  of  the  family  into  which  he  or  she  may  have  married.  The 
atmosphere  of  cold,  critical  thoughts  is  felt  even  though  not  a  word  be 
spoken;  but  too  often  there  are  words  of  unfavorable  comment  as  well, 
which  sooner  or  later  find  their  way  to  the  ear  of  the  one  concerned. 
Such  an  experience  would  take  the  sweetness  out  of  any  honeymoon. 
It  is  cruel  beyond  description  for  any  person  to  indulge  in  such  a  course 
oWault-finding,  after  the  marriage  has  taken  place.  There  may  be  im¬ 
perfections,  but  if  the  two  most  concerned  are  satisfied  with  each  other, 
the  friends  who  profess  to  love  them  ought  to  rejoice  in  their  happiness. 
Every  effort  of  a  real  friend  will  be  in  the  direction  of  increasing  the 
young  people’s  contentment,  and  establishing  more  firmly  their  love  for 


256 


THE  HONEYMOON 


and  belief  in  each  other;  not  to  unsettle  it  by  constant  expressions  of 
disapproval  and  disparagement.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  everyone 
should  like  all  new  relations-in-law,  but  first  impressions  are  often  erro¬ 
neous,  and  quite  frequently  the  liking  will  grow.  Even  if  not,  there  is 
no  excuse  for  permitting  the  disapproval  to  appear. 

Honeymoons  are  better  spent  entirely  away  from  the  relatives,  that 
the  newly-made  husband  and  wife  may  be  free  from  all  possible  hurts 
and  annoyances  of  the  nature  described,  and  may  establish  their  affec¬ 
tion  for  each  other  without  hindrance.  At  this  time,  and  thereafter  as 
well,  let  them  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  all  meddlers,  and  listen  only  to  the 
voice  of  love. 

INCREASING  EACH  OTHER'S  LOVE 

All  those  newly  wedded  who  would  keep  the  affections  ever  grow¬ 
ing  in  warmth  and  tenderness  as  the  years  pass,  have  but  to  remember 
this  one  infallible  rule:  love  grows  in  the  exact  proportion  of  the  hap¬ 
piness  bestowed.  In  proportion  as  the  wife  renders  her  husband  happy, 
does  she  cause  him  to  love  her;  and  exactly  similar  is  the  rule  by  which 
he  may  oblige  her  to  love  him.  Every  added  pleasure  which  either  be¬ 
stows  on  the  other,  increases  the  other’s  love;  while  every  word  or  act 
which  wounds  brings  with  it  a  certain  degree  of  dislike.  It  is  a  law 
which  none  can  evade.  Knowing  it,  a  wife  has  it  in  her  power  to  re¬ 
double  her  husband’s  affections,  preserving  them  through  life  and  in¬ 
creasing  them  to  any  desired  extent. 

When  a  couple  have  not  learned  this  law,  and  are  not  perfectly 
adapted,  it  often  proves  that  certain  characteristics  of  each  will  render 
the  other  happy,  while  in  certain  different  traits  they  make  each  other 
miserable ;  hence  they  are  incessantly  quarreling  and  making  up,  never 
being  quite  happy  either  with  or  without  each  other.  The  remedy  for 
this  unsatisfactory  condition  is  very  simple;  let  each  begin  at  once^to 
study  the  other’s  happiness,  forgetting  his  or  her  own;  and  the  law  of 
love  will  reward  them  with  its  richest  treasures. 


THE  HONEYMOON 


257 


NOT  FOR  SELF,  BUT  FOR  THE  OTHER 

Love  seeks  to  bless  its  object — is  all  the  while  endeavoring  to  min¬ 
ister  to  the  loved  one’s  delight — is  a  perpetual  giver.  True  marriage 
consists  in  the  complete  consecration  of  each  to  the  happiness  of  the 
other.  Let  each  live  not  at  all  for  self,  but  for  the  other.  Fancies, 
whims,  caprices  may  seem  foolish,  but  nevertheless  it  pays  to  indulge 
the  loved  one  even  in  trifles.  For  a  husband  thus  to  gratify  his  wife 
in  some  wish,  however  slight,  makes  her  inexpressibly  happy  because 
it  is  an  added  evidence  of  his  love  for  her;  and  her  own  affection  for 
him  is  thereby  increased.  The  wife,  also,  who  tries  in  little  ways  and 
in  all  ways  to  conform  to  her  husband ’s  preferences,  finds  in  doing  so 
her  greatest  delight.  The  unselfishness  must  be  mutual.  To  those  who 
resolve  at  the  outset  never  to  forget  or  neglect  this  law,  and  who  keep 
their  resolution,  life  will  be  a  continual  honeymoon. 


17—1,  S 


WHAT  MARRIAGE  INVOLVES 

The  Hope  of  the  Race — The  Foundation  of  Life — Artistic  Weaving 
of  Ideal  into  Commonplace — Exclude  Meddlers  and  Critics — 
No  Striving  to  Rule — Love’s  Enthusiasm  Supplies  Lack  of 
Training — Co-operation  of  Both  in  Home  Problems — Establish 
a  Home  of  Your  Own — The  Pedestal  of  Absolute  Truthfulness 
— The  Love  that  Grows — Purity  Love’s  Preservative — Growing 
Harmony  for  Love’s  Sake — Hope  for  All. 


Strongest,  most  intimate,  most  enduring  in  the  world  is  the  relation 
of  husband  and  wife.  It  is  the  hope  of  the  race ;  the  source  of  all  other 
relations,  and  at  the  foundations  of  life  itself.  More  tender  than  the 
tie  between  brother  and  sister;  before  even  that  of  parent  and  child  is 
this  holiest  of  all  bonds,  completing  all  that  is  incomplete  in  man  or 
woman,  and  inciting  to  a  higher  moral  development. 

To  the  rightly  mated,  many  of  the  most  disappointing  experiences 
of  married  life  will  seem  as  a  dream,  a  something  distant  and  impos¬ 
sible — belonging  to  less  fortunate  lives,  but  not  to  theirs.  Happy  in¬ 
deed  are  such  willing  captives  of  Cupid!  Wisdom  and  Love  are  safe 
and  gentle  guides  to  the  entrance  to  the  new  home.  Yet  on  the  thresh¬ 
old,  as  the  serious  tasks  of  life  are  assumed,  even  the  happiest  will  find 
problems.  To  help  in  their  solution  let  us  consider  a  few  of  those  most 
frequently  arising. 

ESTABLISHING  THE  HOME 

Life  and  its  chief  inspiration,  love,  are  made  up  of  the  blending  of 
two  elements — the  spiritual  and  the  physical.  The  spiritual  glorifies, 
while  the  physical  sustains.  In  establishing  family  life,  the  rosy  dreams 
of  courtship  and  the  honeymoon  must  have,  not  a  rude,  but  a  healthy 
awakening;  for  such  prosaic  questions  as  those  of  food,  shelter  and 

258 


WHAT  MARRIAGE  INVOLVES 


259 


clothing  now  occupy  a  prominent  part  in  the  thoughts  of  both,  and  to 
keep  up  the  poetry  and  charm  of  life  under  such  circumstances  will 
require  something  of  the  artist ’s  skill  in  weaving  the  beautiful  threads 
of  idealism  into  the  commonplace.  Yet  it  can  be  done,  and  by  remem¬ 
bering  to  include  love-making  as  an  indispensable  part  of  the  daily 
routine  of  home-making,  marriage  can  be  kept  from  descending  to  the 
material  plane,  even  in  the  midst  of  homely  surroundings  Snd  prosaic 
tasks. 

The  one  thing  of  first  importance  in  establishing  a  home,  is  to  in¬ 
clude  in  it  the  loving  courtesies,  the  thoughtful  attentions  that  mean  so 
much.  Especially  are  these  needful  to  the  happiness  of  the  young  wife, 
into  whose  life  marriage  has  brought  a  greater  change  than  it  usually 
brings  to  her  husband.  A  man  may  have  the  same  business,  the  same 
associates,  the  same  scenes  during  many  hours  of  each  day,  as  before 
marriage;  but  the  girl  who  leaves  her  parents’  home  must  at  the  best 
have  long,  lonely  hours,  deprived  of  all  the  old  surroundings  and  not 
yet  accustomed  to  the  new.  The  thoughtful  husband  will  consider  this, 
and  be  careful  to  avoid  even  a  trifling  neglect  of  kindness  to  one  who 
is  thus  struggling  with  a  homesickness  no  less  real  because  unacknowl¬ 
edged. 

THE  FORGOTTEN  KISS 

Whatever  else  is  forgotten  or  neglected,  therefore,  do  not  let  it  be 
this. 

“He  did  not  even  remember  that  in  parting  he  had  withheld  the 
usual  kiss.  Thoughts  of  business  had  intruded  themselves  even  into 
his  home,  and  claimed  to  share  the  hours  sacred  to  domestic  tran¬ 
quillity.  The  merchant  had  risen  for  the  time  superior  to  the  husband. 

“When  Edward  met  his  wife  at  the  falling  of  twilight  it  was  with 
a  lover’s  ardor.  Not  only  one  kiss  was  bestowed,  but  many.  In  the 
warm  sunshine  of  his  presence  the  clouds  which  had  veiled  her  spirit 
for  hours  were  scattered  into  nothingness. 

“And  yet  the  memory  of  that  forgotten  kiss  remained  as  an  un¬ 
welcome  guest.  On  the  next  day,  and  the  next,  and  every  day  for  a 


260 


WHAT  MAEEIAGE  INVOLVES 


week,  the  expected  kiss  was  given,  yet  ever  and  ever,  in  her  hours  of 
loneliness,  would  thought  go  wandering  back  to  the  hour  when  her  hus¬ 
band  left  her  without  this  token  of  his  love,  and  trouble  the  crystal  wa¬ 
ters  of  her  soul.” 

CULTIVATE  GOOD  HABITS  AFTER  MARRIAGE 

Habits  of  order,  neatness,  industry  and  economy  are  desirable  in 
one  Avho  is  to  help  establish  the  new  home.  It  is  well  to  appreciate  such 
traits  at  their  full  value,  while  remembering  that  Love  is  a  wonderful 
teacher,  and  that  in  one  otherwise  suitable,  such  habits  may  be  culti¬ 
vated  after  marriage.  One  cannot  reasonably  expect  to  find  many  dia¬ 
monds  Avithout  a  flaw.  The  young  wife’s  over-critical  husband  may 
possibly  eA^en  be  an  uncut  diamond  himself,  and  until  the  roughnesses 
are  all  polished  aAvay  in  one’s  OAvn  nature,  it  is  well  to  be  gentle  in 
criticism  of  others,  content  with  a  general  suitability  and  the  great  es¬ 
sentials.  The  molding  power  of  a  true  marriage  will  accomplish  much, 
in  the  smoothing  away  of  minor  defects;  and  that,  too,  without  even 
pointing  them  out. 

BETTER  PRAISE  THAN  BLAME 

The  unpardonable  otfense  of  a  blow  to  vanity — a  sneer  at  defects, 
personal  or  mental,  has  created  wider  havoc  amongst  the  domesticities 
of  life  than  even  ill  usage.  A  woman  is  too  often  fed  on  flatteries  by 
the  lover  to  readily  pardon  the  blunt  truths  of  the  husband.  She  can¬ 
not  understand  that  having  once  been  perfect  in  his  eyes,  she  should 
ever  cease  to  possess  perfection.  His  one  unpardonable  sin  is  committed 
when  he  points  out  her  defects  instead  of  magnifying  her  good  qualities. 
Habitual  scolding  or  fault-finding  on  the  part  of  either  husband  or 
wife  is  fatal  to  the  growth,  or  even  the  preservation,  of  love.  Prof. 
FoAvler  does  not  state  the  case  too  strongly  Avhen  he  calls  the  scolding 
mate  “a  fool.”  The  habit  is  destructive  of  all  that  is  most  precious, 
and  should  be  guarded  against  as  if  it  were  a  pestilence.  Each  should 
be,  if  not  perfect  in  the  other’s  eyes,  at  least  on  the  road  to  perfection. 
This,  with  every  sincere,  aspiring  soul,  is  literally  true,  and  it  is  the 


WHAT  MARRIAGE  INVOLVES 


261 


part  of  conjugal  sympathy  and  discernment  to  see  it.  When  the  failings 
appear,  the  less  they  are  noticed  the  better,  and  no  thanks  are  due  to 
any  outside  critic  who  searches  them  out  and  proclaims  them. 

The  same  caution  against  meddlers  in  the  honeymoon,  applies  all 
through  life.  Persons  who  would  sow  seeds  of  discord  or  introduce 
even  the  faintest  shadow  of  discontent  in  the  sacred  precincts  of  home, 
should  be  avoided.  Even  the  zealous,  well-meaning  missionary  or  re¬ 
former  is  no  exception;  for,  as  a  rule,  such  fail  to  recognize  that  mar¬ 
riage  itself,  in  its  perfection,  is  the  highest  and  holiest  of  life ’s  missions, 
chosen  by  a  wise  Creator  as  the  most  powerful  of  all  means  of  reforming 
the  race.  One  who  would  say  a  word  to  make  a  wife  dissatisfied  with 
her  husband’s  religious,  political  or  other  views,  is  far  from  being  a 
true  friend,  and  should  be  gently,  but  decidedly  excluded  from  further 
intimate  acquaintance,  as  long  as  such  a  tendency  remains. 

A  SOFT  ANSWER 

While  the  soft  answer  will  usually  turn  away  wrath,  yet  there  are 
exceptional  times  when  a  mistaken  line  of  thought  and  conduct  can  be 
better  changed  by  being  first  shown  as  in  a  mirror.  A  young  husband 
was  so  annoyed  by  the  lack  of  order  displayed  by  his  girl-wife,  whom 
he  loved  dearly,  that  he  spoke  with  unconscious  and  almost  brutal 
sharpness,  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  the  offence,  concluding  with, 
“The  fact  is,  I  am  a  little  disappointed  in  you!”  Then,  amazed  at  the 
burst  of  grief  which  followed,  he  added,  “Bessie,  I  thought  you  a  rea¬ 
sonable  woman,  but  all  this  is  very  unreasonable.”  But  the  little  wife, 
for  all  her  sensitiveness,  had  some  spirit,  and  common  sense  as  well. 
Her  tears  ceased  to  flow,  and  she  made  answer,  “And  I  thought  you  a 
kind  and  reasonable  man !  ’  ’ 

A  little  startled  by  this  unlooked-for  response,  the  husband  asked, 
“In  what  respect,  pray,  have  I  shown  myself  lacking  in  kindness  and 
reason  1  ’  ’ 

“In  making  the  position  of  a  few  books  on  a  library  shelf  of  more 
importance  than  a  kind  and  gentle  demeanor  towards  your  wife,  who 
has  no  thought  or  wish  but  to  please  you  1  ’  ’ 


262 


WHAT  MAERIAGE  INVOLVES 


And  he  was  logical  enough  to  see  the  matter  thus  presented  to  his 
reason  in  its  true  light,  brave  enough  to  acknowledge  it;  and  both  were 
helped  by  the  better  understanding  that  followed.  Disorder  and  im¬ 
patience  were  alike  banished  from  that  household;  not  all  at  once,  but 
by  successive  attempts,  as  each  tried  to  please  the  other.  A  man  will 
understand  reasoning,  when  he  will  not  understand  fears  or  moody 
silence. 

It  is  not  often,  however,  that  the  “clearing  up  showers”  will  need 
to  intrude  themselves.  The  fewer  such  encounters,  the  better  as  a  rule; 
and  as  the  years  pass,  a  perfect  mutual  understanding  will  prevent  them 
from  occurring  at  all. 

RULE  BY  KINDNESS 

In  a  true  marriage,  there  should  be  no  thought  of  ruling  or  being 
ruled,  yet  it  is  not  unusual  to  hear  one  woman  say  to  another,  “Oh! 
you  spoil  your  husband!  I  wouldn’t  let  mine  do  such  a  thing!”  Such 
a  remark  is  a  sufficient  guarantee  of  that  household.  It  is  eloquent  of 
henpecking,  squabbles,  disagreements,  and — most  vital  of  all — the 
struggle  for  mastery  which  too  often  embitters  home  life  and  estranges 
hearts  that  once  vowed  love,  honor  and  truth  to  each  other.  There  are 
many  men  who  are  spoiled  as  husbands  by  the  mere  fact  of  being  tied 
down  to  discipline  and  bondage. 

THE  HOUSEKEEPING  PROBLEM 

It  is  often  necessary  for  a  young  wife  to  learn  all  the  mysteries  of 
housekeeping  after  marriage.  This  is  not  the  ideal  condition  of  atfairs, 
but  the  problem  can  be  bravely  met.  Concentrating  the  mind  on  the 
work  in  hand,  whatever  it  may  be,  makes  of  that  work  a  delight  as  well 
as  a  piece  of  fine  art.  That  is  why  some  girls  who  have  shown  little 
inclination  towards  housework  learn  with  surprising  quickness  when 
once  in  a  home  of  their  own.  It  is  the  enthusiasm  born  of  love;  but  how 
much  better  to  have  the  knowledge  as  part  of  the  education,  thus  avoid¬ 
ing  the  many  absurd  mistakes  which  are  inevitable  to  the  novice,  how- 


WHAT  MARRIAGE  INVOLVES 


263 


ever  well-meaning.  The  time  is  surely  coming  when  a  girl  who  knows 
nothing  of  practical  housekeeping  will  be  considered  as  deficient  in  edu¬ 
cation  as  if  she  were  unable  to  read  and  write. 

The  woman  of  power  and  of  practical  resources  will  need  to  know 
something  of  household  hygiene;  of  food  values,  the  care  of  sleeping 
apartments,  ventilation,  heating,  drains  and  the  proper  disposal  of  gar¬ 
bage.  She  should  no  more  be  expected  to  perform  all  the  complex  duties 
of  the  household  without  assistance  than  a  man  would  be  expected  to 
carry  on  his  own  entire  business  without  hiring  help.  Each  should 
know  something  of  the  daily  interests  and  duties  of  the  other.  Many 
a  truly-loved  wife  has  been  sacrificed  because  neither  she  nor  her  hus¬ 
band  realized  that  the  strength  of  one  is  not  sufficient  to  perform  the 
work  of  two  or  three,  including  the  work  which  requires  the  most  vital¬ 
ity  of  all,  the  bearing  of  children.  With  suitable  help,  and  a  husband ’s 
appreciation,  a  wife  will  take  delight  in  “looking  well  to  the  ways  of 
her  household,”  however  inexperienced  she  may  be  to  begin  with. 

“AVOID  PERPETUAL  CONTRADICTION” 

“In  all  conflicts  of  tastes  or  ideas  in  the  government  of  the  house¬ 
hold,  you  should  always  yield  to  your  husband  in  the  matters  of  detail, 
in  order  to  be  able  to  insist  sometimes  when  an  important  subject  is 
under  discussion.  Perpetual  contradiction,  even  if  it  is  generally  rea¬ 
sonable  and  right,  is  a  rust  which  corrodes  love  and  eventually  destroys 
it.  If  you  wish  to  have  your  way  in  questions  which  concern  your 
own  dignity  or  the  education  of  your  children,  you  should  practice  self¬ 
repression  and  subordinate  your  own  desires  in  unimportant  matters 
like  the  cooking  or  your  relations  with  indifferent  acquaintances. 
Whenever  you  have  a  wish — and  you  have  the  right  to  have  them  just 
as  much  as  your  husband — try  to  support  it  by  some  good  reason  and 
not  by  a  mere  quibble  or  caprice.  And  whenever  you  express  a  wish, 
try  to  put  it  in  the  most  interrogatory  and  conditional  terms,  such  as; 
‘Don’t  you  think  it  might  be  a  good  thing?’  or  ‘Wouldn’t  it  seem  wise 
to  you?’  That’s  diplomacy  and  wisdom;  it  may  look  like  cheap  politics, 
but  it’s  also  virtue.  In  the  most  difficult  domestic  crises,  when  you 


264 


WHAT  MARRIAGE  INVOLVES 


want  to  convince  your  husband  that  he  ought  to  do  something  which  he 
doesn’t  want  to  do,  but  which  is  nevertheless  right,  you  should  craftily 
soften  your  wmrds  and  present  your  case  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
him  think  that  he  himself  is  really  eager  to  do  the  thing  you  are  sug¬ 
gesting. 

“I  know  one  husband  who  is  always  boasting  that  he  has  a  wife 
■who  agrees  with  him  in  everything  and  contradicts  him  in  nothing,  not 
even  in  the  most  insignificant  matters.  Of  course  it  is  really  the  wife 
who  has  her  own  way  in  everything  and  imposes  her  own  will  upon 
him,  and,  luckily  for  all  concerned,  she  seems  only  to  wish  for  good  and 
reasonable  things.  But  she  has  erased  from  her  vocabulary  the  verbs 
‘I  want’  and  ‘I  command’;  they  seemed  to  her  useless  and  dangerous 
words.  In  reality  the  women  who  have  these  two  verbs  always  upon 
their  tongues  never  succeed  in  ordering  or  commanding  anybody,  and 
have  to  resign  themselves  to  a  real  matrimonial  servitude  which  is  most 
humiliating.  The  male  animal  is  a  ferocious  wild  beast  that  may  easily 
be  tamed  by  caresses  and  soft  words.  But  he  rebels  and  shows  his 
teeth  against  those  who  scold  or  abuse  him;  like  the  lion,  he  can  be 
more  easily  influenced  by  sweetmeats  than  by  blows. 

“THE  MOTHER-IN-LAW” 

‘  ‘  I  know  that  you  adore  your  mother,  my  daughter,  and  she  is  cer¬ 
tainly  a  saint  who  lives  only  for  her  husband  and  her  children;  but 
when  you  take  a  husband  you  must  see  to  it  that  you  have  a  separate 
home  with  him.  I  hope  that  you  may  be  able  to  build  your  new  nest 
near  the  one  in  which  you  were  born,  but  whatever  you  do,  don ’t  live  in 
the  same  house  with  your  parents-in-law,  and  don’t  install  yourself  in 
your  mother’s  home.  Your  fiance  at  this  time,  when  his  whole  heart  is 
filled  with  the  sweetest  and  most  unselfish  affection,  will  be  sure  to 
propose  that  you  spare  yourself  the  pain  of  being  separated  from  your 
relatives.  Be  sure  to  refuse  this  offer,  the  acceptance  of  which  he  would 
be  the  first  to  regret.  It  is  not  without  some  excuse  that  proverb- 
makers,  comic  writers  and  playwrights  have  always  chosen  as  the  butts 
for  their  satire  and  ridicule  the  father-in-law  and  the  mother-in-law. 


WHAT  MARRIAGE  INVOLVES 


265 


These  jests  are  the  kernels  of  the  nuts  of  experience.  And  when  one 
measures  them  by  the  probabilities  of  life,  they  become  more  true.  The 
motives  for  discord  are  too  numerous,  the  jealousies  of  contrast,  the 
clashes  of  influence,  the  hatreds  between  son-in-law  and  mother-in-law 
are  too  frequent  to  permit  peace  to  remain  in  such  a  divided  house¬ 
hold.  Never  put  your  husband  to  the  sad  necessity  of  offending  your 
mother  and  thus  offending  yourself.  Love  the  old  people  from  a  dis¬ 
tance  instead  of  hating  them  because  of  too  close  association.  Be 
gracious,  my  daughter,  in  all  your  dealings  with  your  relatives-in-law, 
and  take  care  not  to  shock  their  incipient  affection  for  you  by  some 
overgreat  display  of  feeling  for  them.  It  is  better  to  hold  some  store  of 
tenderness  in  reserve. 

“TRUTH  IS  THE  BEST  POLICY” 

“And  now,  my  daughter,  you  must  not  get  angry  at  the  next  thing 
I  have  to  say  to  you.  Never  tell  your  husband  the  least,  smallest  sus¬ 
picion  of  a  falsehood.  I  know  that  you  are  honest  and  incapable  of  a 
lie,  but  your  marriage  will  so  complicate  your  relations  with  people 
and  things  that  some  fine  day  you  are  likely  to  find  yourself  facing  this 
dilemma;  either  to  tell  an  untruth  or  to  cause  pain  to  the  man  you  love. 
Most  women  in  this  alternative,  I  should  say  about  eighty  per  cent  of 
them,  would  choose  the  lie  as  the  best  way  out.  And  they  will  often 
tell  it  in  the  most  unimportant  crises,  to  escape  being  criticised,  or 
being  compelled  to  justify  their  actions,  or  even  to  avoid  any  long  and 
tiresome  explanations.  Alexander  cut  the  Gordian  knot  with  a  blow 
of  his  sword,  and  this  solution  of  a  problem  has  been  famous  in  history 
ever  since.  Women  every  day  cut  the  knots  which  form  between  their 
hands  in  the  tangled  threads  of  life  by  means  of  that  little  sword  which 
they  always  carry  with  them  and  which  is  called  a  lie. 

THE  SOUL  OF  THE  WIFE 

“Never  tell  an  untruth  to  your  husband!  Wliatever  may  be  the 
dilemma  which  confronts  you,  whatever  may  be  the  knot  which  forms 
itself  in  your  hand,  never  cut  it  by  means  of  a  lie.  You  will  thus  pre- 


266 


WHAT  MAEEIAGE  INVOLVES 


serve  your  own  self-respect,  and  your  husband  will  place  yon  upon  an 
altar-like  pedestal.  A  man  may  be  proud  of  having  a  young  and  beau¬ 
tiful  wife,  of  bearing  her  praised  by  all  for  her  culture  and  wit,  but 
nothing  will  flatter  him  more  than  to  be  able  to  say:  ‘My  Avife  does 
not  know  bow  to  say  what  isn’t  so.’  In  this  hypocritical  age  in  which 
we  live,  where  lying  envelops  us  from  head  to  foot,  and  leaves  its  slimy 
trail  everyAvhere  like  a  snail,  to  knoAV  one  spot  where  falsehood  has 
not  penetrated  and  whither  it  is  possible  to  flee  as  to  a  sacred  refuge  is 
such  an  uplifting  and  noble  joy  that  it  makes  every  function  of  life 
seem  brighter.  There  should  be  for  every  man  in  this  desert  of  deceit 
one  oasis  where  the  grass  is  always  green,  where  the  foliage  conceals 
no  vipers,  where  the  rosebushes  are  without  thorns,  where  the  bees 
haAm  no  sting,  Avhere  the  skies  are  always  cloudless;  and  that  oasis 
should  be  the  soul  of  his  wife.  Thither  we  should  be  able  to  flee,  con¬ 
fident  and  serene,  to  hear  a  ‘yes’  that  always  means  ‘yes’  and  a  ‘no’ 
which  is  always  ‘no.’ 


“BEST  WAY  TO  PRESERVE  LOVE” 

^‘I  remember  once  being  present  at  a  conversation  between  a  num¬ 
ber  of  witty  people.  There  were  pretty  women  and  some  wise  old  men 
in  the  circle  and  the  talk  turned  upon  the  best  methods  of  keeping  love 
from  fading  away.  A  professor  of  psychology  raised  an  uproar  by  ad¬ 
vancing  the  theory  that  love  could  be  preserved  much  as  the  botanists 
of  Germany  and  Norway  preserve  flowers  in  all  their  original  fresh¬ 
ness.  Jealousy,  mutual  trust,  and  other  matrimonial  attributes  were 
suggested  as  the  best  preservatives,  when  an  old  man  who  had  not 
said  a  word,  and  who  had  contented  himself  with  listening  to  this  dis¬ 
cussion  with  a  Voltaire-like  smile,  an  old  man  who  was  not  a  professor 
of  psychology,  but  who  had  long  studied  both  men  and  Avomen  with 
great  and  wise  charity,  said: 

“  ‘Will  you  permit  me  to  give  my  opinion  in  this  matter?  If  I  am 
not  mistaken  I  have  lived  longer  than  any  one  of  you,  and  I  have  seen 
more  men  and  women  than  any  of  you.  In  my  judgment  the  best  pre¬ 
servative  for  love,  beautiful  ladies  and  honored  gentlemen,  is —  is — ’ 


WHAT  MAERIAGE  INVOLVES 


267 


“  ‘Is  whatr 

“  ‘  Is  purity.  ’ 

“All  his  hearers  were  silent,  some  with  surprise,  some  because  they 
did  not  understand. 

‘  ‘  But  nevertheless,  my  daughter,  that  old  gentleman  was  right,  and 
I  think  the  older  you  grow  and  the  longer  you  live  the  more  inclined 
you  will  be  to  agree  with  me.  ’ 

THE  SECRET  OF  DELIGHT 

In  his  concluding  words.  Dr.  Mantegazza  has  struck  the  key-note. 
Purity  is  the  best  of  all  preservatives  of  love.  And  the  way  to  keep 
the  life  pure  and  the  love  strong  is  to  keep  the  spiritual,  not  the  physi¬ 
cal,  uppermost  in  the  thoughts.  Remember,  sex  is  of  the  mind  and 
soul.  Its  animal  aspect  is  only  its  shadow,  not  its  substance.  There 
is  a  way  which  will  be  plainly  shown,  of  so  controlling  the  passions  as 
to  purify  the  affections  and  increase  life ’s  delights,  even  on  the  physical 
plane;  while  the  results  of  such  a  union  are  those  priceless  blessings — 
perfect,  abounding  health,  superior  offspring,  and  a  harmony  of  life 
to  which  nothing  can  be  compared. 

Alas!  that  such  companionship  should  be  so  rare!  That  married 
life  is  too  often  a  spoiled — patched — or  harmful  state  and  condition,  in¬ 
stead  of  an  evidence  of  a  happy  union.  That  love  so  seldom  mates  with 
comprehension  of  itself,  of  its  infinite  possibilities,  desires  and  ex¬ 
actions.  That  even  genius  of  high  order  has  left  records  of  miserable 
husbands — and  misunderstood  wives.  And  this  because  tact  and  sym¬ 
pathy  and  comprehension  have  been  lacking  in  either  nature ;  for  apart 
even  from  love  and  devotion  these  qualities  are  of  inestimable  value. 
If  they  were  joined  to  the  love  or  devotion,  the  married  state  would 
become  something  at  once  unspoilable  and  unspoilt! 

If  these  words  come  before  one  who  is  conscious  of  having  made  a 
sad  mistake  in  choosing,  let  them  not  cast  you  down  completely.  If 
there  be  a  living  love  on  both  sides,  there  may  yet  be  great  peace  and 
happiness  for  yon.  If  you  will  turn  to  the  chapter  on  “The  Gift  of 
Motherhood,”  and  observe  how  parents  are  instructed  and  helped  to 


268 


WHAT  MARKIAGE  INVOLVES 


modify  even  their  strongest  characteristics  for  the  sake  of  their  mutual 
love  for  the  coming  one,  you  will,  I  am  sure,  be  prompted  to  do  the  like 
for  your  sacred,  tender  love  for  each  other.  And  in  so  doing,  the  one 
right  step  helps  the  other;  so  that  in  seeking  the  new  harmony  for 
love’s  sake,  the  foundation  will  be  laid  for  fulfilling  the  supreme  trust, 
the  greatest  of  all  duties  and  privileges  involved  in  the  marriage  rela¬ 
tion — that  of  parenthood. 


PERSONAL  PURITY 


Special  Warning  to  Boys  and  Girls 


Everything  good  and  beautiful  can  be  misused ;  and  great  suffering 
is  the  result.  It  is  so  terrible  and  unfortunate  when  boys  or  girls  have 
once  formed  the  habit  of  misusing  the  bodies  God  has  given  them,  and 
such  a  happy  and  fortunate  thing  when  they  are  early  led  to  respect 
and  treat  these  bodies  rightly,  that  I  cannot  let  my  book  go  before  the 
public  without  containing  a  warning  that  not  only  the  older  people,  but 
the  children  themselves  can  understand,  whenever  this  book  shall  meet 
their  eyes. 

It  is  not  wrong  to  want  to  know  about  the  many  curious  and  won¬ 
derful  works  of  God;  and  the  human  body  is  the  most  wonderful  of 
all.  But,  do  you  know,  my  boy,  my  girl,  that  no  one  can  tell  you  quite 
so  many  interesting  facts  about  it  as  mother  can  ?  A  wise,  kind  mother 
is  the  best  friend  of  all.  Take  your  questions  to  her,  in  the  very  first 
place,  no  matter  what  they  are ;  and  I  think  she  will  either  answer  them 
herself,  or  place  in  your  hands  one  of  the  many  books  written  on  pur¬ 
pose  for  such  a  time,  that  will  tell  you  all  about  it. 

THE  FIRST  QUESTION 

She  may  first  tell  you  this  beautiful  truth,  if  you  have  not  already 
learned  it  from  her;  that  all  life  comes  from  a  tiny  seed;  that  before 
you  were  born  you  were  growing,  just  as  the  seed  grows  in  the  ground, 
or  as  the  bird  grows  within  the  egg;  that  God  so  planned  for  your  com¬ 
ing  that  He  placed  a  sheltered  nest  for  you  within  your  mother’s  body, 
and  there,  like  a  fledgling  with  folded  wings,  soft-brooded  in  her  very 
bosom,  lulled  by  her  loving  h.eart-bents,  you  slept  and  greAV,  till  from  a 

269 


270 


PEESONAL  PURITY 


shapeless  seed  you  had  grown  into  a  human  form.  For  many  weary 
months  she  carried  you  about  like  this,  then  with  much  pain  brought 
you  into  the  world  as  a  tiny  baby,  more  precious  to  her  than  all  the 
world  beside,  because  of  the  pain  your  coming  cost  her,  and  because 
you  had  been  thus  a  part  of  herself.  All  human  life  comes  from  the 
father  and  mother;  it  is  God’s  way  of  creating,  and  the  most  beautiful 
way  that  could  be,  because  a  child,  having  been  a  part  of  its  parents’ 
bodies,  is  the  more  dearly  loved. 

FOR  THE  OLDER  ONES 

If  you  are  older  and  just  beginning  to  wonder  about  the  bodily  or¬ 
gans  which  have  been  provided  for  this  wonderful  work  of  bringing 
human  beings  into  the  world,  you  will  be  likely  to  turn  to  the  chapter 
just  before  this  one.  After  you  have  read  it,  you  will  know  that  the 
right  care  of  what  are  known  as  the  reproductive,  generative,  or  sexual 
organs  is  what  makes  men  strong  and  women  beautiful ;  you  will  begin 
to  understand  that  their  wrong  use  causes  dreadful  deformities  and 
sickness  too  loathsome  to  be  described.  These  organs  are  provided  by 
God  in  'Order  that  children  may  be  born.  If  they  are  never  misused, 
never  handled  in  any  way,  except  to  keep  them  clean,  until  they  are 
fully  matured,  they  may  be  the  source  of  great  blessing  to  the  world 
and  to  those  who  possess  them.  But  many,  very  many  boys,  and  even 
girls,  of  all  ages,  form  the  habit  of  handling  their  sexual  organs  before 
they  know  the  harm  it  will  do.  Let  us  tell  some  of  the  results  of  this 
terrible  practice,  which  is  called  self-abuse. 

WHY  IT  DOES  HARM 

A  boy  who  thus  handles  himself  cannot  possibly  grow  up  happy, 
healthy  and  strong.  This  is  true  for  two  reasons.  The  sexual  organs 
have  nerves  running  to  all  parts  of  the  body.  They  have  also  a  great 
many  blood-vessels.  Whenever  these  organs  are  handled,  it  draws  too 
much  blood  to  them,  exciting  and  inflaming  them,  and  leaving  other 


PERSONAL  PURITY 


271 


parts  of  tlie  body  without  enough  blood  to  nourish  them.  The  nerves, 
too,  carry  the  inflamed  condition  from  the  sexual  organs  to  other  parts 
of  the  system.  These  nerves  go  so  directly  to  the  spine  and  the  brain, 
that  if  you  handle  the  sexual  organs  or  even  if  you  keep  thinking  about 
them,  it  excites  and  exhausts  the  nerves,  making  the  back  ache,  the 
brain  heavy  and  dull,  and  the  whole  body  weak.  It  lays  the  foundation 
for  consumiDtion,  paralysis  and  heart  disease.  It  weakens  the  memory, 
and  makes  a  boy  careless,  stupid  and  too  lazy  to  study  or  even  play  with 
any  keen  enjoyment.  It  makes  the  form  stooping,  instead  of  erect;  it 
makes  him  narrow-chested  and  thin;  causes  the  muscles  to  become 
flabby,  so  that  he  cannot  excel  in  outdoor  sports;  and  even  causes  many 
to  lose  their  minds,  and  others,  when  grown,  to  commit  suicide.  The 
results  come  so  slowly  that  often  the  victim  of  self-abuse  is  very  near 
death  before  he  realizes  that  he  has  done  himself  any  hami. 

A  TRUE  CONTRAST 

My  boy,  would  you  be  a  strong  man?  Of  course  you  would.  What 
boy  does  not  wish  to  be  strong?  Then  never  indulge  in  a  practice  so 
surely  weakening  as  this  one.  Imagine  a  picture  of  a  healthy,  robust, 
splendidly  vigorous  man  who  has  never  abused  himself,  and  then  a 
picture  of  the  poor  victim  of  this  loathsome  habit.  Notice  the  stoop¬ 
ing  shoulders,  the  narrow  chest,  the  exhausted  look.  Yet  both  repre¬ 
sent  men  in  their  prime. 

If  you  have  ever  been  taught  this  habit  of  self-abuse  by  compan¬ 
ions,  stop  it  now,  and  keep  away  from  those  books  or  men,  as  you  value 
your  life!  When  tempted,  take  at  once  some  interesting  book,  game, 
task,  or  sport,  that  will  keep  you  from  even  thinking  of  this  matter; 
for  a  bad  habit  is  not  cured  in  a  day,  but  perseverance  will  do  it  in 
every  case.  Your  parents  will  help  you  if  you  confide  in  them.  Make 
up  your  mind  to  be  free,  at  all  costs,  rather  than  a  slave  to  this  miser¬ 
able,  ruinous  practice. 

In  thus  conquering,  you  will  have  made  great  progress  in  life. 
Solomon  says,  “he  that  ruleth  his  spirit  is  greater  than  he  that  taketh 


PEESOXAL  PUEITY 


a  city.”  Yon  have  conquered  yourself;  you  have  ruled  your  thoughts; 
yes,  you  have  made  yourself  master.  It  is  a  great  step  onward  in  your 
life.  It  is  the  hardening  of  your  ‘  *  character-muscle.  ’  ’  Henceforth  you 
will  respect  your  own  powers;  and,  moreover,  your  mates  will  in¬ 
stinctively  respect  you  and  defer  to  you.  Such  a  conquest  puts  all 
slavery  impulses  out  of  your  life.  You  move  as  a  prince,  born  to  rule! 
You  have  acquired  the  self-respect  native  to  princely  life.  It  will  mean 
much  to  your  whole  future — and  the  best  of  all  is  that  there  is  not  a 
single  one  of  my  readers  but  can  do  it! 

Be  careful  to  observe  the  laws  of  health  in  other  respects,  also; 
they  have  much  to  do  with  this  matter.  Rise  early,  or  as  soon  as  you 
are  awake;  take  a  cold  sponge  hath  and  dress  quickly;  exercise  a  little 
before  breakfast,  in  the  open  air  if  possible.  Eat  plenty  of  fresh  ripe 
fimit,  hut  avoid  meat  and  highly  seasoned  dishes.  Attend  to  the  mov¬ 
ing  of  the  bowels  at  a  regular  time  each  day.  Take  a  warm  tub  bath 
with  soap  twice  a  week;  and  breathe  plenty  of  fresh  air.  Grardening, 
farm  work  and  the  outdoor  sports  are  excellent  to  build  up  a  strong, 
clean  body,  free  from  all  had  habits;  hut  remember  that  the  mind  must 
be  kept  healthy  too,  for  a  poisoned  mind  always  means  an  unhealthy 
body  as  well. 

It  pays  to  read  books  by  the  best  authors,  both  modem  and  stand¬ 
ard.  Fine  stories  of  heroic  lives  have  been  written,  and  it  will  prove 
intensely  interesting  to  any  wide-awake,  energetic  boy  to  read  how 
Lincoln  and  other  great  men  won  their  places  in  the  world’s  history. 
You  will  want  some  fiction,  too,  of  course,  but  let  it  be  the  best.  Some 
books  will  reach  your  hands  that  should  not  be  read  by  anyone.  You 
do  not  want  those;  say  to  yourself,  proudly,  instead,  “The  best  is  good 
enough  for  me,”  and  then  stick  to  it.  Any  hook  that  you  would  not 
like  to  have  your  mother  see,  is  not  good  enough  for  you,  for  it  is  of  the 
kind  most  likely  to  infiame  the  passions  and  bring  on  the  very  troubles 
I  am  warning  you  against.  The  mind  as  well  as  the  body  is  too  often 
made  the  victim  of  self-abuse ;  and  when  it  starts  in  the  mind  the  habit 
is  more  than  likely  to  extend  to  the  body  also. 


PERSONAL  PLTJTY 


273 


HOW  IT  AFFECTS  THE  LOOKS 

WLat  I  have  said  regarding  the  effect  on  the  health  of  the  boy  is 
true  also  of  the  girl.  Ho\r  unspeakably  sad  to  see  a  girl  who  has  ig¬ 
norantly  made  shipwreck  of  that  which  should  be  her  greatest  treasure 
— her  own  growing  womanhood!  Not  only  does  self-abuse  ruin  the 
health  and  the  mind ;  but  it  so  affects  the  appearance  that,  as  a  rule,  all 
can  tell  what  is  the  matter.  The  signs  are  unmistakable.  There  will 
be  the  bloodless  lips,  the  dull,  heavy  eyes,  surrounded  with  dark  rings, 
the  blanched  cheek,  the  nerveless  hand,  the  short  breath,  the  old,  faded 
look,  the  weakened  memory,  and  silly  irritability, — these  tell  the  story 
all  too  plainly. 

CAN  A  GIRL  AFFORD  IT? 

A  girl  must  keep  herself  pure,  must  be  above  yielding  to  the  advice 
of  ignorant  senmnts  or  foolish  schoolmates,  if  she  would  grow  into  a 
woman  loved  and  trusted  with  the  greatest  and  most  desired  of  bless¬ 
ings — a  beautiful  home-life,  a  noble  husband’s  affection,  and  darling 
children  of  her  own.  And  it  must  be  remembered  that  any  disease  of 
the  sexual  organs  will  take  away  that  great  privilege  of  happy  mother¬ 
hood  ;  for  if  the  mother  is  not  healthy,  the  children,  also,  will  be  ailing, 
if  indeed  they  can  be  bom  and  live  at  all. 

Can  any  girl  afford  to  lose  her  power  to  become  a  good  wife  and 
mother,  just  for  the  sake  of  yielding  to  a  foolish  temptation? 

THE  SEXUAL  ORGANS  TO  BE  KEPT  SACRED 

Many  have  been  taught  that  the  sexual  organs  themselves  are  im¬ 
pure.  This  is  not  tme.  God  made  them,  and  they  are  the  part  of  the 
body  most  sacred  of  all,  for  to  them  is  given  the  honor  and  privilege, 
under  right  conditions,  after  marriage,  of  creating  life.  But  certain  it 
is  that  they  must  be  let  alone  until  that  time,  except  to  keep  them  clean, 
if  they  are  ever  to  fulfill  this  high  mission  in  a  way  to  bring  happiness. 
Let  them  alone  even  with  your  thoughts.  It  is  not  wrong  to  know  about 
them;  but  I  have  told  you  why  it  is  a  mistake  to  keep  thinking  about 
-  18— L  S 


274 


PERSONAL  PURITY 


them.  Let  them  alone,  to  grow  strong  and  mature  and  beautiful  in  the 
way  that  God  has  planned,  and  by  and  by  you  will  be  very  glad  and 
thankful  that  you  did  so. 

HOW  TO  CONTROL  THE  THOUGHTS;  THE  CARD  PLAN 

“But  how  can  I  stop  thinking  about  them?”  some  of  you  will  feel 
like  asking.  I  will  tell  you  one  very  successful  way: 

Take  a  blank  card,  and  write  on  it  the  names  of  seven  things,  as 
follows:  three  outdoor  sports  you  like  best;  the  three  indoor  occu¬ 
pations  most  interesting  to  you;  and  your  favorite  school  study.  All 
must  be  good  things  for  you  to  do  and  think  about.  Whenever  you 
are  not  busy,  and  your  thoughts  run  away  with  you  and  persist  in 
dwelling  on  unhealthy  subjects,  look  at  this  card  or  remember  it,  and 
begin  right  away  to  do  or  to  plan,  hard,  some  one  of  those  seven  things 
For  instance,  if  you  are  a  boy,  suppose  your  list  includes  skating,  the 
use  of  carpenter ’s  tools,  and  geography.  If  it  is  summer,  and  you  can  T 
go  skating,  you  can  plan  to  build  a  boat  or  an  Indian  wigwam,  or  you 
can  read  some  interesting  book  describing  travels  by  Livingstone, 
Peary,  or  some  other  explorer,  telling  about  real  countries  and  people 
so  curious  that  they  will  make  you  forget  everything  else.  Or  if  you 
are  a  girl,  perhaps  your  list  includes  tennis,  private  theatricals  and 
history.  When  your  thoughts  wander  to  undesirable  subjects,  and  you 
have  no  task  to  perform,  either  take  your  tennis  racquet  and  go  out  for 
a  splendid  bit  of  practice  or  read  a  story  of  early  colonial  days  and 
then  invite  a  girl  friend  or  two  to  help  you  plan  an  entertainment  with 
historical  tableaux,  perhaps,  the  costumes  improvised  from  attic 
treasures. 

Or  it  may  be  that  you  do  not  care  for  these  particular  things,  but 
prefer  gardening,  music,  drawing  or  something  else.  You  can  apply 
this  card  plan,  no  matter  whether  you  are  a  girl  or  a  boy,  and  what¬ 
ever  your  tastes  may  be;  It  works  just  as  well  at  night,  too,  after  you 
have  memorized  your  seven  subjects;  for  you  can  go  to  sleep  thinking 
of  whichever  one  of  them  interests  you  most.  Of  course  you  can  have 
more  than  seven  if  you  like.  Best  of  all  is  the  pleasure  of  planning 


PERSONAL  PURITY 


275 


gifts,  or  helpful  surprises  for  others.  Vincent  Van  Marter  Beede,  in 
one  of  his  plays  for  children,  represents  a  “Friendly  Witch,”  in  the 
course  of  her  broomstick  travels,  as  bringing  many  delightful,  funny 
surprises  with  her.  Many  a  tired  mother  would  welcome  the  presence 
of  such  a  “friendly  witch”  in  her  own  home! 

When  you  have  once  tasted  the  joy  of  helping  others,  not  as  a  task 
but  as  a  pleasure,  your  thoughts  will  soon  learn  to  obey  you;  all  sorts 
of  merry  times,  both  work  and  play — for  even  work  can  and  should  be 
merry, — will  fill  the  hours  as  a  result;  and  you  will  grow  up  the  healthy, 
happy  creatures  you  were  meant  to  he.  May  all  sweet  and  healthful 
pleasures  be  yours  1  and  may  you  become  men  and  women  of  such  power 
and  purity  as  shall  make  the  world  a  safer  and  happier  place  than  it 
has  ever  been  before,  and  a  fit  dwelling-place  for  the  healthy,  beautiful, 
merry  children  that  may  one  day  add  to  your  happiness  1 


The  Influonce  of  the  Planets  on 

Human  Life 

How  to  Read  Your  Own  Nature  and  Work  Out 
Your  Destiny— An  Answer  to  the  Important 
Questions:  How  Shouid  #  Pian  My  Life?— In 
What  Way  Am  I  Gifted?— What  Has  Nature 
Intended  Me  For? 


Our  schools  and  colleges  teach  many  things  that  it  is  useful  and 
pleasant  to  know,  but  in  the  most  important  science  of  all  they  teach 
only  the  rudiments.  In  fact,  many  of  them  altogether  neglect  the  only 
branch  of  education  that  could  possibly  help  our  young  people  to  un¬ 
derstand  their  own  individual  powers  and  possibilities. 

This  chapter  is  to  help  those  who  wish  to  make  the  most  of  their 
individual  lives  through  a  clearer  understanding  of  themselves  than 
school  has  been  able  to  give  them.  Of  course,  it  would  be  impossible 
to  teach  a  whole  science  in  a  single  chapter;  but  I  can  at  least  give 
such  a  condensed  outline  of  the  facts  as  will  throw  some  gleams  of 
light  on  paths  now  lying  in  the  shadow  of  doubt  and  perplexity,  and 
will  enable  more  than  one  earnest,  aspiring  soul  to  reach  out  to  some¬ 
thing  nobler  and  far  more  satisfying  than  self-indulgence. 

God’s  universe  is  more  closely  knit  together  than  we  think.  We 
know  that  the  existence  of  plant  and  animal  life  is  dependent  upon  the 
sun;  that  the  moon  has  a  strong  and  methodical  influence  on  the  ocean’s 
tides;  that  the  various  groups  of  planets  have  laws  that  govern  their 
movements,  quite  as  strictly  enforced  as  our  law  of  gravitation.  Is 
there  anything  very  surprising  in  the  fact  that  these  forces  of  nature 
have  a  definite  and  close  relationship  with  the  natures  of  human  beings, 

276 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


277 


and  that  the  particular  forces  that  prevail  when  a  soul  first  awakes  to 
conscious  physical  life  on  earth  are  the  forces  which  will  give  that 
human  life  certain  of  their  own  characteristics? 

“The  most  natural  thing  in  the  world,”  you  admit.  Of  course  it  is. 
The  marvel  would  be  if  there  were  no  such  connection  between  human 
life  and  the  other  products  of  God’s  handiwork.  For  when  we  remem¬ 
ber  that  stars,  flowers,  and  human  lives  all  are  created  by  the  same 
loving  and  skilful  Hand,  we  have  no  longer  any  fear  of  a  blind  or 
malignant  Fate.  We  know  that  there  must  be  a  great  harmonious  pur¬ 
pose  moving  through  it  all,  and  bringing  slowly  hut  surely  into  order 
and  perfection  all  the  seemingly  diverse  and  chaotic  conditions  of  a 
world — nay,  of  a  vast  system  of  worlds;  and  that  in  all  this  majesty  of 
purpose  no  smallest  detail  is  overlooked. 

Be  not  surprised  nor  incredulous,  therefore,  when  I  tell  you  that 
the  ocean  tides  are  not  the  only  proofs  of  a  connection  between  our  own 
planet  and  others  in  the  same  solar  system,  aside  from  Uie  sun.  The 
moon  is  cold,  shining  only  with  reflected  light;  hut  many  of  the  so- 
called  stars  are  in  reality  powerful  though  distant  suns,  many  times 
more  potent  in  their  influence  than  the  half-frozen  moon  can  be. 

Human  beings  have  their  tides  as  well  as  the  ocean — their  mag¬ 
netic  attraction  to  and  from  the  forces  of  nature.  That  our  earth  is  not 
the  only  part  of  the  solar  system  which  affects  us  is  no  new  discovery 
— the  wisest  minds  among  the  ancients  observed  this  fact  many  thou¬ 
sands  of  years  ago,  and  learned  from  it  certain  natural  laws,  the  truth 
of  which  has  been  mingled  with  some  errors  and  superstition,  but  in 
the  main,  has  been  confirmed  by  recent  study  along  the  same  lines. 
Hence  those  who  laugh  at  what  they  call  the  superstitions  of  our  grand¬ 
parents  in  regard  to  the  signs  of  the  zodiac  are  a  little  too  hasty,  doing, 
in  fact,  what  the  ignorant  have  always  done  the  world  over — ridiculing 
a  science  which  they  do  not  understand. 

The  only  part  of  the  recognized  science  of  astrology  which  does 
not  properly  belong  to  it  and  which  we  can  justly  discard,  is  its  fatality. 
A  law  of  nature  is  always  exact,  and  is  operative  until  superseded  by 
a  higher  law.  Gravitation  draws  things  downward,  but  it  is  overcome 
by  the  law  of  growth,  which  causes  them  to  shoot  upward. 


278 


INFLUENCE  OP  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  HUMAN  LIFE 

There  are  twelve  types  of  human  beings,  each  corresponding  to  a 
certain  “sign”  as  it  is  called,  of  the  zodiac.  You  may  search  the  world 
over,  and  though  you  will  find  many  races  and  varying  temperaments, 
each  person  comes  under  some  one  of  these  twelve  types.  Before  I 
name  these  types  it  is  well  to  state  that  three  of  them  belong  to  what 
is  called  the  Fire  Triplicity;  three  to  Air,  three  to  Earth,  and  three  to 
Water.  Thus  each  of  the  four  elements  has  its  share,  as  well  as  the 
seasons,  heredity,  pre-natal  influence  and  the  planets,  in  determining 
the  peculiarities  of  every  person  born. 

From  March  21  to  April  19  is  the  period  classed  as  the  head  sign 
of  the  Fire  Triplicity,  and  the  name  of  this  sign  is  Aries.  The  govern¬ 
ing  planets  are  Mars  and  Neptune.  Persons  born  at  this  time  of  year 
are  usually  very  earnest  and  determined,  and  are  natural  leaders.  They 
are  noble,  generous,  magnetic,  progressive,  and  have  strong  intuition. 
They  are  good  scholars,  and  as  they  are  genial  and  witty  in  conver¬ 
sation,  and  never  at  a  loss  to  provide  entertainment,  they  are  apt  to  be 
social  favorites.  Their  sympathies  and  affections  are  as  quick  as  their 
wills  are  strong;  they  are  often  the  best  of  comforters  to  those  in  trou¬ 
ble,  and  are  apt  to  make  excellent  teachers.  Many  fine  descriptive 
writers,  novelists  and  poets  are  found  in  this  sign. 

If  not  permitted  to  work  in  their  own  way  the  Aries  people  are 
apt  to  become  confused  and  to  lose  interest  in  the  subject.  They  are 
changeable,  impetuous,  quick-tempered  and  resent  being  told  of  their 
faults.  They  will  die  fighting  for  a  friend  or  for  a  principle,  but  will 
not  yield  a  point  until  obliged  to.  They  are  good  at  planning,  have 
excellent  taste  and  judgment,  but  do  not  like  details,  such  as  long  seams 
or  the  finishing-off  or  filling-in  portions  of  their  work.  They  are  gen¬ 
erous  givers,  but  inordinately  selfish  as  to  their  life  plans,  and  are  apt 
to  talk  too  much  of  themselves.  They  are  noted  for  what  would  be 
called  lost  opportunities. 

An  Aries  person  will  find  it  of  benefit  to  practice  silence,  be  alone 
for  some  time  each  day,  restrain  his  desire  to  govern,  consult  the  com- 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


279 


fort  and  happiness  of  others,  take  only  a  moderate  part  in  conversa¬ 
tion,  avoid  stimulants,  and  take  plenty  of  sleep  in  a  large,  well-aired 
room. 

The  second  or  middle  sign  of  the  Fire  Triplicity  is  Leo.  Persons 
born  between  July  22  and  August  22  come  under  this  sign.  They  are 
kind-hearted,  generous,  extremely  emotional,  s}unpathetic  and  mag¬ 
netic;  good  story-tellers,  quick  to  see  the  point,  and  gifted  in  moulding 
the  opinions  of  others.  They  can  often  sway  great  audiences,  and  when 
themselves  possessed  of  a  noble  ideal  they  are  powerful  in  their  in¬ 
fluence  for  good.  They  have  a  passionate  love  for  their  own,  especially 
for  their  children,  and  cannot  bear  to  have  them  criticised.  Like  the 
Aries  people,  they  would  rather  plan  than  to  work  out  the  plans  in  de¬ 
tail;  they  are  often  very  lazy,  and  fond  of  basking  in  the  sun  and  dozing 
in  the  chimney  corner.  Both  men  and  women  in  this  sign  usually  have 
great  talent  for  catering  for  the  table;  they  make  excellent  cooks,  and 
good  nurses  when  in  full  sympathy  with  the  patient. 

The  passionate  impulses  of  the  Leo  people  are  attributed  to  solar 
influence,  as  this  is  the  only  sign  in  the  zodiac  whose  governing  planet 
is  the  sun.  Most  marked  are  the  faults  of  those  in  this  sign.  Many  of 
them  are  tricky,  and  not  over  particular  as  to  the  proof  of  their  state¬ 
ment;  they  are  apt  to  be  chronic  borrowers;  are  hot-headed,  flery,  easily 
attracted  by  the  opposite  sex  and  not  ahvays  constant  in  their  affec¬ 
tions.  Strong  prejudices  are  formed  by  them  on  very  slight  grounds. 
But  when  these  faults  are  overcome,  there  is  no  more  helpful  person 
in  all  the  signs  of  the  zodiac  than  the  Leo  man  or  woman. 

The  selfishness  of  this  sign  must  be  conquered  first  of  all,  before 
there  can  be  any  real  progress.  Self-control  must  be  cultivated.  The 
“quiet  hour”  each  day  is  most  essential,  and  the  associations  must  be 
of  the  purest.  Leo  children  are  very  observing  and  imitative;  they  not 
only  contract  the  habits  and  faults  of  others,  but  imitate  their  voices 
and  gestures,  sometimes  possessing  great  talent  in  this  direction.  Con¬ 
stant  and  varied  amusement  is  as  necessary  to  a  Leo  child’s  harmonious 
development  as  is  the  air  it  breathes;  and  great  pains  should  be  taken 
to  warn  young  people  bom  in  this  sign  of  the  effects  of  vice.  Often 


280 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


it  seems  that  only  sickness,  sorrow,  and  suffering  can  help  these  pas¬ 
sionate  natures  to  subdue  their  own  fiery  impulses;  and  when  this  is 
the  case,  the  needed  discipline  always  comes.  But  in  other  and  more 
fortunate  cases,  careful  early  training  brings  out  the  real  beauty  and 
averts  the  dangers  of  this  sign. 

The  last  of  the  Fire  Triplicity  is  Sagittarius — November  22  to  De¬ 
cember  21.  The  governing  planet  is  Jupiter.  Those  born  at  this  time 
are  gifted  with  considerable  prophetic  insight,  so  that  they  can  tell  the 
outcome  of  almost  any  enterprise  in  advance.  They  rarely  make  mis¬ 
takes  except  from  following  the  advice  of  others  less  keen-sighted  than 
themselves.  They  are  very  different  from  the  Leo  people  in  their  work¬ 
ing  habits;  for  they  seem  literally  to  have  been  born  busy,  and  keep 
busy  under  all  circumstances.  They  are  also  very  particular  about  fin¬ 
ishing  one  piece  of  work  before  beginning  another.  They  are  neat  and 
orderly,  careful  in  money  matters,  and  as  a  rule,  are  equal  to  any 
emergency.  Sagittarius  women  make  excellent  housekeepers,  wives 
and  mothers.  They  have  great  love  for  their  children  and  animals,  and 
are  often  musical. 

The  people  in  this  sign  have  one  peculiar  gift  that  many  times 
causes  them  to  be  misunderstood;  the  gift  of  prophecy,  already  men¬ 
tioned.  They  are  far-seeing,  and  often  clairvoyant;  they  hear  words 
and  see  visions  that  are  withheld  from  others,  and  their  minds  reach 
out  far  beyond  the  present,  so  that  they  are  sometimes  accused  of  fabri¬ 
cation.  But  they  always  mean  to  tell  the  truth.  They  are  very  decided 
in  everything  they  do ;  aim  well,  and  hit  the  mark ;  speak  out  their  con¬ 
clusions  quickly,  even  to  bluntness,  and  hence  often  make  enemies  by 
opposing  the  prejudices  of  others.  They  cannot  bear  to  see  suffering, 
and  hasten  to  relieve  it  at  any  cost  to  themselves;  but  their  generosity 
and  goodness  is  seldom  met  with  anything  but  ingratitude.  They  are 
quick  to  anger,  but  soon  over  it ;  have  a  tendency  to  fly  all  to  pieces  over 
a.  small  matter ;  are  unreasonable  in  their  desire  to  help  those  they  love, 
and  unwilling  to  wait  for  proper  times  and  seasons,  but  must  rush 
through  a  task  as  soon  gs  it  presents  itself.  The  women  in  this  sign  are 
especially  apt  to  sacrifice  health  and  good-nature  in  their  determination 
to  finish  what  they  have  begun. 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LH"E 


281 


These  people  expect  too  much  of  others.  As  they  are  themselves 
quick  to  observe,  plan,  and  achieve,  they  expect  the  same  of  those  less 
gifted  in  these  practical  respects,  and  are  sometimes  exacting  and  dom¬ 
ineering. 

It  is  best  for  a  Sagittarius  person  to  have  veiy  few  confidential 
friends;  the  less  in  number,  the  fewer  misunderstandings.  They  need 
to  think  well  before  acting,  and  not  be  governed  by  impulse  in  their 
charitable  work.  They  should  try  to  do  good  for  its  own  sake  and  not 
expect  gratitude  nor  appreciation ;  a  hard  lesson  to  learn,  but  a  valuable 
one.  They  must  learn  to  be  gentle  in  speech  and  never  to  excuse  them¬ 
selves  for  bluntness  because  of  the  truth  of  their  words,  which  might 
be  undeniably  true  and  yet  cause  much  unnecessary  suffering  to  others. 
There  is  seldom  need  to  warn  these  people  against  vice,  as  they  are 
naturally  pure  in  thought  and  intention. 

Air  Triplicity.  The  head  sign  here  is  Gemini,  which  means 
“twins.”  The  governing  planet  is  Mercury.  Persons  born  under  this 
sign,  from  May  20  to  June  21,  may  be  said  to  be  “double.”  They  have 
a  dual  nature,  and  it  sometimes  makes  them  very  nervous  and  uncom¬ 
fortable  through  not  knowing  their  own  minds.  They  wish  to  travel, 
and  they  wish  to  stay  at  home;  they  want  to  study,  and  they  want  to 
play;  they  are  happy  and  unhappy,  Avarm  and  cold,  satisfied  and  dis¬ 
satisfied,  both  in  the  same  breath.  Very  s^unpathetic  with  suffering, 
courteous  and  kind  to  all,  affectionate  and  generous,  these  children  of 
the  springtime  are  among  the  most  lovable.  They  are  usually  fond  of 
art,  science  and  literature;  are  often  musical,  have  strong  religions  na¬ 
tures  but  want  a  leader,  and  are  apt  to  be  timid  and  apprehensive  abont 
thinking  for  themselves.  They  are  nearly  ahvays  wonderfully  deft  with 
their  hands,  and  can  cut  and  plan,  and  see  into  a  deAuce  or  pattern  more 
readily  than  others,  and  if  not  interfered  Avith,  Avill  bring  the  Avork  to 
beautiful  completion;  though  they  can  seldom  tell  beforehand  Iioav  they 
are  going  to  do  it.  Explanations  and  arguments  are  of  little  avail  AAfith 
most  of  the  Air  people. 

Scattering  of  forces,  and  great  restlessness  are  the  chief  drawbacks 
to  growth,  in  this  sign.  The  Gemini  people  are  naturally  fretful,  com- 


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plain  much,  and  imagine  evil  where  none  exists.  They  wish  to  learn, 
but  are  sometimes  very  impatient  of  methods. 

They  are  anxious,  expectant,  liable  to  go  to  extremes  in  what  they 
undertake,  and  thus  destroy  their  health.  They  are  given  to  regrets, 
are  suspicious,  and  occasionally  very  untruthful.  Some  Gemini  women 
are  most  superficial  in  their  judgment,  being  easily  charmed  by  the  out¬ 
ward  appearance  of  those  they  meet;  then,  as  they  are  very  affection¬ 
ate,  they  suffer  a  great  deal  from  jealousy  and  disappointment. 

Gemini  persons  will  find  great  help  in  the  study  and  practice  of 
those  truths  pertaining  to  the  higher  spiritual  life.  They  should  re¬ 
member  that  the  inner  nature  is  the  real  one;  should  keep  the  thoughts 
and  conversation  free  from  personalities,  and  firmly  resolve  not  to  com¬ 
plain  at  trifles.  Silence  and  spiritual  illumination  will  greatly  relieve 
the  restlessness.  Gemini  people  should  learn  to  finish  what  they  under¬ 
take,  without  worry;  and  to  keep  their  hands  and  feet  still,  as  the  habit 
of  physical  quiet  reacts  favorably  on  the  inner  nature.  They  should 
strive  for  unity  and  continuity  of  purpose,  and  not  indulge  themselves 
even  if  their  means  will  permit,  in  the  habit  of  throwing  aside  with  dis¬ 
like  today  what  was  coveted  yesterday.  They  should  talk  slowly,  and 
in  every  way  cultivate  calmness.  Especially  should  they  associate 
themselves  with  people — and  with  books — that  are  quiet,  calm  and  rest¬ 
ful. 

Libra,  the  middle  sign  of  the  Air  Triplicity,  is  active  September  23 
to  October  23.  The  governing  planet  is  Venus.  Persons  born  in  this 
sign  are  ambitious  and  energetic.  Libra  men  are  apt  to  be  tempted  into 
speculations  and  gambling.  They  are  eager  for  new  objects  of  attrac¬ 
tion;  are  full  of  hope  and  enthusiasm,  and  recover  quickly  from  mis¬ 
fortune.  The  Libra  women  are  usually  less  reckless  than  their  brothers, 
but  are  apt  to  be  careless  about  money  matters,  the  details  of  which 
are  extremely  distasteful  to  them.  Libra  men  and  women  alike  will 
give  away  the  greater  part  of  what  they  possess,  and  expect  no  return. 
They  sometimes  borrow  and  fail  to  pay  their  debt,  but  this  is  not  from, 
any  dishonest  intent.  They  are  timid  fan  d  apprehensive  of  misfortune 
to  their  children  and  friends;  are  extremely  sensitive  to  harmony  or 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


283 


discord;  they  read  the  thoughts  of  those  around  them,  and  frequently 
have  their  naturally  high  spirits  clouded  by  unpleasant  conditions  that 
they  are  quick  to  perceive  but  cannot  properly  explain.  Hence  they 
often  appear  sad  or  morose,  and  are  thought  disagreeable,  at  times 
when  their  sympathies  are  thus  fruitlessly  called  into  action.  This 
power  of  reading  the  thoughts  of  others  may  be  made  helpful  at  times, 
but  more  frequently  is  a  cause  of  unrest  and  misery. 

Kind  and  amiable  are  the  Libra  women — so  much  averse  to  cruelty 
and  bloodshed  that  they  dislike  to  have  even  a  chicken  killed.  They 
are  also  very  cleanly  and  dainty  in  their  personal  habits. 

The  people  in  this  sign  are  apt  to  take  a  literal,  material  view  of 
things.  They  wish  to  help  everyone,  and  forget  that  it  is  first  necessary 
to  control  self.  They  exaggerate,  are  very  enthusiastic,  impatient  of 
methods,  easily  confused  by  the  arguments  of  others,  and  panic- 
stricken  if  lost  in  a  crowd  or  compelled  to  cross  a  busy  street.  They 
are  careless  as  to  their  own  belongings,  drop  and  lose  things,  will  often 
borrow  books  and  forget  to  return  them,  and  do  not  like  to  be  criticised. 
They  are  exceedingly  fond  of  praise,  and  foolishly  wounded  by  trifles. 
When  angry,  a  cyclone  could  hardly  create  a  greater  disturbance;  and 
when  they  go  to  extremes  unchecked,  they  are  often  dishonest. 

Yet  the  higher  intuitions  of  Libra  people  are  most  beautiful,  and 
when  strictly  followed,  this  higher  self  will  rarely  fail  to  lead  them 
aright,  into  the  kingdom  of  their  own  spiritual  natures.  Libra  people 
should  strive  to  curb  their  desire  for  appreciation,  their  habits  of  care¬ 
lessness  and  exaggeration,  and  watch  their  own  thoughts  well.  The 
habit  of  order  in  little  things  may  be  cultivated;  patience,  repose  and 
serene  faith  will  work  wonders,  and  as  these  people  are  quick  to  see 
the  truth  in  anything,  their  determined  efforts  for  improvement  are 
very  successful.  The  children  born  in  this  sign  usually  have  a  talent 
for  invention,  and  marked  mechanical  ability. 

Aquarius — January  20  to  February  19 — is  the  last  sign  of  the  Air 
Triplicity.  The  governing  planets  are  Saturn  and  Uranus.  Persons 
born  in  this  sign  are  said  to  be  at  once  the  strongest  and  the  weakest 
people  in  the  world.  They  have  unusual  power  in  certain  directions. 


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but  seldom  realize  it;  are  so  lazy  and  so  unable  to  concentrate,  that 
their  beautiful  gifts  are  often  scattered  and  lost. 

Aquarius  people  are  generally  noble,  honest  and  kind-hearted,  are 
fair  readers  of  character,  not  easily  deceived,  and  their  mental  and  spir¬ 
itual  quickness  makes  them  very  apt  in  whatever  profession  or  trade 
they  may  choose.  In  fact,  those  in  this  sign  who  even  partially  realize' 
their  own  powers  can  succeed  in  practically  anything  they  undertake. 
They  are  agreeable  and  dignified,  seldom  passionate  or  quick-tempered, 
and  are  capable  of  high  spiritual  development.  They  have  a  wonderful 
gift  at  controlling  the  insane;  and  to  them  the  power  of  healing  is  by 
no  means  unknown.  They  are  unusually  sensitive,  vacillating  and 
capricious ;  often  ask  advice,  but  seldom  remember  to  follow  it ;  and  are 
sometimes  great  braggarts,  especially  in  regard  to  relationship  and 
pedigree.  Their  fondness  for  titles  is  absurd;  and  they  usually  care 
too  much  for  personal  appearance. 

These  people  must  fight  laziness  and  indifference  every  waking 
hour.  They  should  seek  only  for  the  good  in  all  things ;  be  careful  not 
to  condemn  others  for  things  that  they  secretly  do  themselves;  must 
make  no  promises  or  engagements  that  they  do  not  intend  to  keep,  and 
must  compel  themselves  to  keep  those  that  they  do  make,  at  any  sac¬ 
rifice.  They  should  go  for  advice  only  to  the  Most  High,  and  strive 
against  the  power  of  external  things,  that  their  own  wonderful  spiritual 
gifts  may  be  free  to  develop.  They  should  have  few  companions  and 
those  few  carefully  chosen.  The  children  in  this  sign,  being  nervous 
and  restless,  must  be  kept  as  quiet  as  possible,  but  must  not  be  confined 
too  much  indoors.  The  country  is  the  best  place  for  all  Fire  and  Air 
people. 

Taurus,  the  head  sign  of  the  Earth  Triplicity, — April  19  to  May  20 

— is  a  difficult  sign  to  deal  with.  The  governing  planet  is  Venus.  Those 
born  at  this  time  are  brave,  hardly  knowing  what  fear  is.  They  are 
kind  and  generous;  money  has  no  special  value  with  them  except  for 
the  good  it  will  do;  they  never  wish  to  hoard,  and  are  always  willing 
to  divide.  They  have  unusually  strong  wills,  and  their  animal  instincts 
are  equally  strong.  They  are  fond  of  the  good  things  of  earth,  of  feast- 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


285 


ing  and  treating  tlieir  friends  to  sumptuous  repasts.  Still,  their  mental 
and  spiritual  natures  are  strong  also,  when  once  developed;  they  mem¬ 
orize  with  the  greatest  ease,  make  brilliant  speakers  and  writers,  and 
often  become  leaders.  When  friendly  they  are  very  loyal  as  long  as  they 
are  permitted  to  have  their  own  way.  But  when  they  become  enemies 
they  make  most  bitter  and  relentless  ones.  They  are  guided  far  too 
much  by  the  external  and  physical;  are  easily  angered  and  when  angry 
are  very  violent;  and  at  such  times  words  infuriate  them.  They  can 
never  be  reached  by  reason  or  moral  suasion  when  in  a  passion.  They 
are  exacting,  domineering  and  very  selfish  in  their  physical  demands. 
But  all  this  rather  appalling  description  applies  only,  it  must  be  re¬ 
membered,  to  those  bom  in  this  sign  who  are  undeveloped  spiritually. 

If  Taurus  people  will  overcome  their  lower  selves  and  be  true  to 
their  higher  selves,  they  are  capable  of  great  things.  They  should  learn 
silence  and  patience,  should  never  touch  stimulants,  should  avoid  over¬ 
eating  and  early  learn  the  sacredness  of  sex.  They  must  keep  them¬ 
selves  free  from  anger  and  jealousy,  be  alone  much  of  the  time,  and 
remember  that  the  greatest  of  all  conquests  is  the  conquest  of  self,  and 
‘  ‘  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit  is  greater  than  he  who  taketh  a  city.  ’  ’ 

The  Taurus  people  are  open  to  all  new  discoveries  of  human 
progress  and  hope,  can  have  at  command  vast  intellectual  power,  and 
can  learn  to  use  their  tremendous  vitality  in  ways  that  will  prove  a 
blessing  to  the  world  and  themselves.  They  should  make  all  important 
decisions  when  alone;  for  in  spite  of  all  their  stubbornness,  Taurus 
people  are  easily  influenced  by  those  around  them.  Girls  in  this  sign 
are  more  easily  led  to  their  own  destraction  than  those  in  any  other; 
they  are  so  susceptible  to  sympathetic  feeling  and  to  flattery.  Taurus 
children,  when  the  worst  elements  of  their  sign  prevail,  are  beset  with 
an  array  of  temptations  that  is  appalling  indeed.  They  are  not  only 
wilful  and  stubborn,  passionate  and  violent,  but  are  apt  to  be  cruel  to 
animals,  destructive,  maliciously  untruthful  and  thievish,  unless  there 
are  strong  counteracting  influences.  They  must  be  taught  tmthfulness 
and  respect  for  law,  above  all  things.  Any  tendency  to  be  cruel  to 


286 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


animals  must  be  checked,  or  from  it  will  proceed  the  impulses  that  lead 
in  later  life  to  murder  and  other  most  revolting  crimes. 

Remember  that  not  all  Taurus  people  must  of  necessity  be  afflicted 
with  every  one  of  these  unfortunate  qualities.  A  good  heredity,  fortu¬ 
nate  environment  and  the  right  early  training  will  often  prevent  many 
of  these  traits  from  appearing  at  all.  But  without  such  counteracting 
influences,  these  are  the  tendencies;  and  it  is  well  that  with  them,  the 
Taurus  individual  has  been  gifted  with  great  vitality  and  a  magnificent 
will.  Turned  in  the  right  direction,  and  brought  into  harmony  with 
the  forces  of  purity  and  love,  these  will  prove  weapons  that  may  well 
cause  the  shadow-creatures  to  tremble  and  flee. 

Virgo,  the  middle  sign  of  the  Earth  Triplicity,  August  22  to  Sep¬ 
tember  23,  represents  the  hidden  fire  of  the  earth.  The  governing 
planet  is  Mercury.  Persons  born  at  this  time  are  usually  very  orderly 
and  methodical,  capable  and  efficient  workers  and  planners,  affectionate 
and  devoted  to  their  families,  fine  scholars  and  fastidious  as  to  dress. 
They  are  good  at  keeping  their  own  secrets  and  other  people’s  as  well. 
Possessing  the  keenest  mental  discrimination  of  any  of  the  twelve  signs 
the  Virgo  people  frequently  excel  as  newspaper  editors.  Among  them 
are  also  good  proofreaders,  natural  philosophers  and  chemists;  their 
hands  have  a  soothing  influence  on  the  sick;  and  they  are  capable  of  a 
high  degree  of  success  as  writers,  public  speakers  and  musicians.  The 
sense  of  feeling  and  touch  is  very  accurate  in  these  people;  their  natural 
impulses  are  materialistic,  and  they  reason  from  the  external;  when 
living  on  the  intellectual  plane  they  are  severe  critics,  arbitrary  and 
exacting,  and  they  have  a  great  respect  for  money  and  position.  They 
are  inclined  to  be  domineering,  to  interfere  with  other  people’s  affairs 
and  to  pick  everything  and  everybody  to  pieces.  They  are  often 
very  irritating  to  the  Air  and  Fire  people,  with  whom  they  do  not  get  on 
well.  It  is  said  that  Virgo  people  will  confess  to  almost  every  fault 
except  the  ones  they  possess.  These  they  do  not  seem  to  be  aware  of, 
nor  to  realize  how  often  they  wound  others  by  their  merciless  criticisms. 
Sometimes  their  admiration  for  the  external,  and  their  desire  to  make 
a  good  appearance,  will  lead  them  into  habits  of  exaggeration  and  in- 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


287 


volve  them  heavily  in  debt.  Many  of  them  are  fond  of  experimenting 
with  drugs  and  physicians,  though  they  seldom  need  either.  But  when 
this  continual  dosing  is  omitted  and  other  habits  are  healthful,  you  can 
rarely  see  any  change  in  the  appearance  of  a  Virgo  person  from  thirty 
to  sixty  years.  They  retain  their  youth  to  a  remarkable  degree. 

When  Virgo  people  do  arrive  at  the  point  of  spiritual  awakening, 
they  develop  very  fast,  and  their  habit  of  close  analysis,  formerly  so 
disagreeable,  becomes  a  power  for  good.  They  grow  more  magnetic  as 
they  reach  this  stage,  can  draw  many  to  them,  and  are  both  inspiring 
and  reliable.  They  are  natural  students,  and  have  strong  likes  and  dis¬ 
likes,  dominant  will,  quick  understanding  and  usually  show  a  great 
deal  of  business  talent  early  in  life. 

The  important  things  for  a  Virgo  person  to  remember  are  to  look 
diligently  for  the  good  in  other  people,  and  for  the  pure  and  beautiful 
in  everything;  to  be  especially  careful  in  bathing;  to  avoid  drugs  and 
partake  only  of  pure  food,  with  deep  breathing  of  fresh  air  as  a  regular 
exercise.  His  attention  should  never  be  directed  to  the  evil  in  the 
world,  or  to  the  faults  of  others,  as  this  would  in  his  case  lead  to  habits 
that  will  embitter  his  whole  life.  Music  is  of  especial  value  to  these 
people  as  a  recreation  and  a  promoter  of  good  taste  and  mental  har¬ 
mony. 

Capricorn,  December  21  to  January  20,  is  the  last  sign — sometimes 
called  the  dark  . sign — of  the  Earth  Triplicity.  The  governing  planet  is 
Saturn.  The  people  born  in  this  sign  are  well  adapted  to  the  carrying 
out  of  large  projects.  They  are  deep  thinkers,  natural  orators  and 
teachers;  are  intensely  intellectual  and  devoted  to  books;  and  are  eager 
workers  in  their  own  enterprises,  but  tire  quickly  if  obliged  to  work 
for  others.  They  usually  try  to  do  several  things  at  once.  They  resent 
all  interference  and  unlike  the  Virgo  people,  never  meddle  with  the 
affairs  of  others. 

They  have  excellent  memories,  are  fine  entertainers,  with  special 
gifts  for  story-telling,  and  are  kind-hearted  and  loyal.  A  friend  once 
is  a  friend  always;  and  a  promise  is  sacredly  regarded. 


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INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


This  sign  has  been  called  the  most  brilliant  and  at  the  same  time 
the  most  depressed  in  the  zodiac.  When  jolly,  the  Capricorn  people 
’  are  very  jolly;  when  miserable,  they  are  more  miserable  than  all  the 
rest  put  together,  and  can  usually  give  no  adequate  reason  for  their 
unhappiness.  They  are  sometimes  very  eccentric  and  indiscreet  in  their 
charities  and  investments.  The  women  in  this  sign  are  better  financial 
managers  than  the  men,  and  are  careful  housekeepers.  Both  men  and 
women  are  very  particular  about  appearances,  proud,  selfish  and  over¬ 
whelmingly  ambitious.  They  love  harmony  and  beauty,  but  live  too 
much  in  externals.  Seldom  is  a  Capricorn  person  found  who  is  not 
subject  to  fits  of  depression.  They  are  magnetic,  and  attract  friends 
easily,  but  dislike  caresses  or  any  demonstration  of  affection.  They 
abhor  flattery;  they  know  when  they  are  liked,  and  the  knowledge  satis¬ 
fies  them.  With  them,  as  with  all  the  Earth  signs,  the  spiritual  nature 
is  hard  to  reach,  but  capable  of  high  development.  When  the  teachers 
in  this  sign  are  illumined  by  spiritual  light  their  power  for  good  is  un¬ 
limited,  and  they  seem  to  possess  every  gift  worth  having.  But  this 
light  can  only  be  obtained  by  looking  up  and  away  from  self.  This  is 
not  easy;  the  earth’s  attraction  for  these  people  is  strong,  but  is  often 
beautifully  overcome. 

Capricorn  children  are  apt  to  be  haughty  and  arrogant;  to  feel  that 
they  “know  it  all”;  and  this  tendency,  if  not  controlled,  causes  them 
much  trouble  in  later  life.  They  should  not  be  associated  with  cross 
or  coarse  people,  as  they  readily  take  on  the  conditions  of  those  around 
them.  It  is  impossible  for  them  to  learn  too  early  the  necessity  for 
self-control,  and  they  should  be  plainly  instructed  as  to  the  uses  and 
abuses  of  the  sex-nature. 

Water  Triplicity.  The  head  sign  is  Cancer,  June  21  to  July  22.  The 

governing  planet  is  the  Moon.  This  sign  is  as  full  of  contradictions  as 
the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tides.  Those  born  at  this  time  usually  have  a 
persistent  will,  and  cannot  be  talked  out  of  a  thing;  but  they  are  ab¬ 
surdly  sensitive,  and  if  their  feelings  are  hurt,  they  lose  heart  and 
abandon  their  plans.  They  are  very  intelligent;  are  fond  of  travel,  and 
if  well  educated  will  be  gifted  in  some  respects  far  above  the  average. 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


289 


It  is  as  hard  for  them  as  for  the  Capricorn  people  to  work  under  the 
direction  of  others.  They  are  lovers  of  home,  devoted  to  their  children, 
yet  are  capricious,  changing  companions  and  friends  very  frequently, 
and  often  becoming  bitter  enemies  of  those  to  whom  they  were  foimerly 
attached.  They  are  fond  of  money;  the  tendency  is  to  accumulate  and 
hoard.  These  are  the  people  who  count  their  silver,  hide  their  jewels 
in  stockings  and  are  constantly  afraid  of  burglars. 

They  are  neat,  orderly  and  extremely  fond  of  dress.  The  mind  is 
mechanical,  and  Cancer  men  usually  succeed  well  in  manufacturing 
business.  The  women  are  more  intellectual  and  progressive,  being  often 
very  logical  speakers  and  writers  and  among  the  prime  movers  in  great 
humane  enterprises. 

They  are  kind  in  sickness  and  trouble;  devoted  and  efficient  in 
emergencies  where  the  responsibility  rests  upon  them.  Cancer  people 
are  likely  to  be  happy  and  comfortable  during  the  day,  but  at  night 
the  tide  ebbs,  and  they  are  apt  to  feel  depressed.  They  are  very  tenac¬ 
ious  of  their  own  and  their  children’s  rights,  and  courageous  in  defend¬ 
ing  them.  They  can  be  very  cruel  and  vindictive.  Laziness,  selfishness, 
vanity,  jealousy  and  love  of  money  and  display  are  the  “shadow-crea¬ 
tures”  that  afflict  the  people  of  this  sign.  While  living  wholly  on  the 
physical  plane  a  Cancer  woman  will  go  to  almost  any  length  to  obtain 
the  rich  garments  and  sparkling  gems  she  loves  so  passionately.  Both 
men  and  women  in  this  sign  are  inordinately  fond  of  seeing  their  names 
in  print.  The  women  are  so  exceedingly  fickle  and  inconstant  that  they 
are  seldom  happy  in  their  married  life.  They  are  inclined  to  fabrica¬ 
tion. 

Those  born  in  this  sign  should  make  good  use  of  their  great  apti¬ 
tude  in  learning  new  things.  They  should  strive  to  substitute  true 
ideals  for  false  and  materialistic  ones.  They  should  cultivate  the  inner 
life,  dress  simply,  study  themselves  conscientiously  and  practice  loyalty, 
constancy  and  nobility  in  all  that  they  do.  Cancer  children  should  not 
be  much  associated  with  invalids.  They  are  gentle  and  sympathetic 
with  suffering,  but  dwell  too  much  on  the  symptoms  observed,  and 
often  grow  veiy  nervous  and  excited  in  describing  them.  They  should 

ly— L  S 


290 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


not  be  taken  to  funerals.  No  Cancer  child  should  sleep  with  old  people; 
and  the  little  ones  in  this  sign  should  not  be  over-fondled  or  frequently 
caressed.  Great  care  with  diet,  sleep  and  fresh  air  is  necessary  in  this 
sign,  as  the  health  suffers  from  apparently  slight  causes.  Eemember 
that  to  overdress  a  Cancer  girl  is  to  do  her  the  worst  possible  injury; 
and  young  people  in  this  sign  should  avoid  early  marriages.  They  can 
do  most  for  themselves  by  turning  their  attention  to  the  systematic  cul¬ 
tivation  of  “  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit.  ’  ’  This  once  accomplished,  there 
are  no  stronger  or  more  useful  people. 

Scorpio,  the  middle  sign  of  the  Water  Triplicity,  October  23  to  No¬ 
vember  22,  is  a  sign  characterized  by  great  vitality.  The  governing 
planet  is  Mars.  Persons  born  in  this  sign  are  able  to  benefit  others  by 
their  mere  presence,  so  marked  is  the  vibratory  force  of  their  natures. 
It  is  akin  to  that  of  the  great  ocean  currents.  They  have  strong  will 
and  self-control,  great  skill  in  the  use  of  their  hands,  a  firm,  yet  delicate 
touch,  keen  observation,  steady  nerves,  and  make  the  best  surgeons  in 
the  world.  They  are  so  cool  and  well-poised  that  they  are  sometimes 
considered  unfeeling;  but  this  is  not  always  a  correct  judgment,  though 
sometimes  it  is. 

Eloquence  is  often  one  of  the  powers  possessed  by  the  Scorpio  peo¬ 
ple.  They  are  strong  and  magnetic  public  speakers,  have  great  tact 
and  taste  in  the  choice  of  language,  and  when  spiritually  developed 
they  make  the  most  popular  and  convincing  preachers.  One  very  im¬ 
portant  factor  in  their  success  is  their  silent,  dignified  bearing.  They 
are  courteous  and  affable  unless  serious  business  is  on  hand,  in  which 
case  they  can  be  blunt  even  to  cruelty.  They  are  especially  fond  of  out¬ 
door  sports,  ocean  travel  and  ocean  views.  They  have  a  fine  taste  in 
dress,  but  are  not  so  devoted  to  display  as  the  Cancer  people.  They 
have  large  self-esteem,  are  fond  of  praise,  and  can  be  easily  flattered. 
While  living  on  the  animal  plane,  they  are  subject  to  jealousy  and  pas¬ 
sion,  to  a  most  unusual  extent;  are  tricky,  subtle,  selfish  and  very  pecu¬ 
liar  in  their  dealings  with  friends.  A  friend  is  treated  well  while  he 
can  be  used,  but  if  not,  he  is  cast  aside  like  a  squeezed  lemon.  The  odd 
thing  about  this  is  that  Scorpio  people  have  such  wonderful  tact,  and 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


291 


powerful  magnetic  attraction  that  they  can  renew  even  the  friendships 
thus  broken,  if  they  have  occasion  to  do  so.  They  have  a  way  of  finding 
out  secrets  and  utilizing  the  information  to  their  own  best  advantage; 
if  it  injures  others,  it  is  regarded  by  them  merely  as  a  good  joke.  These 
people  will  stop  at  nothing  to  attain  the  end  that  they  have  in  view, 
whether  a  good  or  evil  purpose.  Scorpio  women  who  have  not  learned 
to  control  themselves  are  the  worst  scolds  and  ‘  ‘  naggers  ’  ’  in  the  world. 
They  are  extremely  jealous  and  suspicious,  and  this  trait  often  leads  to 
divorces  and  separations.  The  undeveloped  Scorpio  men  are  also  very 
hard  to  live  with  in  peace.  Scorpio  babies  are  the  fretful  ones  who  de¬ 
mand  constant  attention  and  amusement.  But  they  are  very  bright, 
quite  able  to  entertain  themselves,  if  they  once  become  accustomed  to 
doing  so,  and  should  be  kept  very  quiet.  The  children  in  this  sign  are 
fond  of  animals;  they  should  be  given  pet  animals  for  playmates,  and 
carefully  taught  to  be  kind  to  them.  This  will  help  to  develop  the 
love-nature.  Simplicity  is  best.  A  great  deal  of  misery  and  shame  will 
be  avoided  by  an  early  cultivation  of  self-control,  a  careful  discrimina¬ 
tion  between  right  and  wrong  in  thought  as  well  as  deed,  a  healthy 
scorn  of  self-deception  or  self-flattery,  and  a  resolute  refusal  to  enter¬ 
tain  suspicion  or  jealousy  towards  others. 

These  people  can  be  anything  they  choose  to  be,  and  if  they  will 
not  spare  themselves,  but  will  set  bravely  to  work  to  overcome,  they 
will  accomplish  great  things.  They  should  remember  that  true  friends 
are  very  rare,  and  are  to  be  prized  and  cherished  even  at  the  cost  of 
some  sacrifice.  Hugh  Black ’s  delightful  essays  on  ‘  ‘  Friendship  ’  ’  would 
prove  the  best  of  reading  for  a  Scorpio  young  person. 

Pisces,  the  last  sign  of  the  Water  Triplicity,  February  19  to  March 
21,  is  under  the  governing  planets  Jupiter  and  Neptune.  The  people 
of  this  sign  are  a  great  contrast  to  their  Scorpio  neighbors.  They  have 
a  very  deep,  though  sometimes  hidden,  love-nature,  are  the  most  un¬ 
suspecting  of  mortals,  and  very  loyal  to  their  friends.  They  will  deny 
themselves  the  comforts  of  life  to  further  the  interests  of  relatives  or 
friends;  will  defend  them  right  or  wrong;  and  though  they  are  people 
of  quick  attractions  and  equally  quick  repulsions,  they  are  generally 


292 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


too  kind  to  let  tlie  latter  be  seen.  It  is  almost  impossible  for  a  Pisces 
person  to  acknowledge  the  slightest  flaw  in  the  person  cared  for. 

Pisces  people  are  very  fond  of  beautiful  things  in  nature  and  art, 
and  among  the  educated  ones  in  this  sign  are  to  be  found  excellent 
artists,  art  critics,  and  writers.  Those  trained  to  methodical  business 
habits  make  excellent  accountants,  cashiers  and  book-keepers.  They 
are  honest,  modest,  pure-minded,  and  generous  to  a  fault.  They  will 
give  all  they  have,  expend  their  vital  force  to  help  others,  and  then 
fret  because  they  cannot  do  more. 

They  have  a  deep  religious  feeling,  but  are  too  apt  to  depreciate 
themselves.  In  fact  they  are  abnormally  deficient  in  self-esteem,  and 
this  sometimes  causes  them  to  appear  awkward  and  to  believe  that  the 
world  is  against  them  and  that  it  is  no  use  for  them  to  try  to  keep  up 
in  the  race  with  others. 

Worry,  anxiety,  and  gloomy  forebodings  often  make  these  people 
prematurely  old,  and  sometimes  lead  even  to  suicide.  Persons  in  this 
sign  are  wavering  and  uncertain  in  all  their  actions.  They  lose  and 
mislay  their  belongings  and  those  of  other  people;  drop  things  and  for¬ 
get  to  pick  them  up ;  and  are  so  careless  in  household  matters  that  even 
their  sweet  and  helpful  dispositions  do  not  prevent  them  from  being  a 
continual  source  of  annoyance  in  a  well-ordered  home.  These  are  the 
people  who  kick  up  mats  and  rugs,  and  never  seem  aware  that  they  do 
not  leave  things  as  they  found  them.  They  are  apt  to  talk  too  much, 
ask  tiresome  questions  without  waiting  for  answers,  and  are  very  inat¬ 
tentive  in  conversation. 

Of  all  persons  in  creation,  the  Pisces  people  should  first  of  all  un¬ 
derstand  the  value  of  silence.  It  is  vitally  helpful  for  them  to  retire  to 
some  quiet  room  and  sit  alone  for  at  least  a  few  moments  each  day, 
compelling  every  nerve  and  muscle  in  the  body  to  absolute  stillness. 
They  should  try  to  understand  that  they  can  help  others  best  by  first 
learning  to  curb  their  own  restlessness  and  foolish  emotions;  that  too 
prodigal  giving  does  much  more  harm  than  good ;  and  above  all,  should 
learn  to  place  implicit  trust  in  the  loving  care  of  an  Infinite  Power,  not 
only  for  themselves  but  for  others.  They  will  do  well  to  practice  de- 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  PLANETS  UPON  LIFE 


293 


liberate,  careful  movements,  to  cultivate  a  habit  of  accurate  observa¬ 
tion,  a  respect  for  other  people’s  belongings,  and  an  orderly  disposal  of 
their  own.  They  should  accustom  themselves  to  feel  far  less  responsi¬ 
bility  for  others,  and  more  for  themselves;  to  think  and  decide  dis¬ 
creetly,  without  talking  over  their  affairs;  and  to  strengthen  their  self- 
reliance  and  self-respect  in  every  possible  way.  Military  drill  or  a  reg¬ 
ular  system  of  gymnastics  and  deep  breathing,  will  prove  of  value. 

There  is  no  rule  without  at  least  apparent  exceptions.  It  is  not  un¬ 
common  to  find  persons  who  appear  to  possess  very  few  of  the  peculiar¬ 
ities  and  traits  belonging  to  their  sign.  When  this  is  the  case,  it  is  usu¬ 
ally  due  either  to  heredity,  prenatal  influence  or  early  training;  or  there 
may  be  other  counteracting  influences.  A  person  bom  at  or  near  the 
time  when  one  sign  is  just  merging  into  another,  for  instance,  may  par¬ 
take  of  the  characteristics  of  either  or  of  both;  and  often  a  person  will 
partake  of  the  nature  of  other  signs  in  the  same  triplicity. 

But  the  wise  men  of  old  knew  what  they  were  talking  about.  The 
more  deeply  this  matter  is  studied  the  more  clearly  does  it  appear  that 
the  laws  thus  governing  human  nature  are  phenomenally  correct.  He 
who  remains  entirely  ignorant  of  them  loses  an  opportunity  that  is  of 
the  greatest  advantage. 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTRY 


How  to  Tell  Your  Own  Fortune  as  Well  as  that  of  Others — The  Hand  as 
an  Index  of  Character — Its  Lines  Record  the  Joys,  Sorrows  and  the 
Deepest  Experiences  of  Life—  The  Science  of  Palmistry  as  Old  as  the 
World — Mentioned  in  the  Bible  that  the  Hands  May  Be  Read — Palm¬ 
istry  Is  a  Purely  Scientific  Study  and  Not  a  Superstition, 


Ever  since  the  world  was  created  the  hand  of  man  has  been  given  a 
significance  special  and  apart  from  every  other  portion  of  the  body. 

It  has  always  possessed  a  well  defined  meaning,  for  we  read  of  the 
“hand”  as  representing  power,  influence,  greatness,  and  so  on.  “God 
holds  the  measured  waters  in  his  hand”;  “Let  not  thine  hand  be 
slack”;  “Do  whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,”  etc. 

We  read  in  Job  37,  7:  “God  has  placed  signs  in  the  hands  of  men 
that  their  works  may  be  known.”  And  Moses  says:  “The  law  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  written  in  thy  countenance  and  in  thy  hand.  ’  ’ 

The  hand  represents  an  individuality  which  may  be  distinguished 
from  the  hand  of  every  other  man.  Modem  science  by  thousands  of 
tests,  has  proved  that  the  marks  on  every  man’s  thumbs  are  ditferent, 
and  that  the  thumb  marks  of  a  man  will  identify  him  whatever  dis¬ 
guise  he  may  adopt  to  alter  his  appearance. 

Many  of  the  ancient  philosophers,  with  Aristotle  at  their  head,  de¬ 
clared:  “The  lines  in  the  palm  of  the  hand  are  not  written  without 
cause,  and  they  come  from  the  influence  of  each  man’s  individuality.” 

It  is  a  physiological  fact  that  there  are  about  three  hundred  ditfer¬ 
ent  bundles  of  nerves  in  the  palm  of  the  hand,  all  of  which  are  in  direct 
communication  with  the  brain,  and  this  gives  to  the  human  hand  an 
appreciable  sensitiveness. 

It  is  also  a  fact,  that  the  less  active  the  mind,  the  fewer  the  lines 

294 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTEY 


295 


296 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTRY 


in  tlie  hand.  A  case  in  point  is  recorded  in  the  hooks:  A  soldier  desired 
a  scientific  man  to  examine  the  lines  in  his  left  hand.  This  was  done 
and  nothing  remarkable  appeared,  all  the  general  lines  appearing.  But 
in  his  right  hand  there  were  no  lines  whatever,  the  hand  being  perfectly 
smooth.  In  explanation,  the  soldier  said  that  he  had  received  a  shot 
in  his  upper  arm  that  had  destroyed  all  the  nerves,  leaving  his  arm 
paralyzed  but  outwardly  similar  to  the  other  hand,  except  in  the  ab¬ 
sence  of  the  lines. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  lines  in  a  man’s  hands  indicate  his  char¬ 
acter  to  a  certain  degree  and  are  a  faithful  index  of  his  life.  They  are 
not  the  same  in  every  person,  but  have  been  classified  into  a  meaning 
that  is  fixed  as  an  indication  of  the  individuality  of  the  person  to  whose 
hands  they  belong. 

The  hands  themselves  are  an  indication  of  character,  disposition, 
etc.,  and  are  so  sure  an  index  when  taken  into  connection  with  the 
lines,  that  they  have  been  classified.  The  accompanying  illustration 
will  give  a  general  idea  of  the  hand  and  the  principal  lines. 

There  are  four  principal  types  of  hands,  which  have  been  given 
names  indicative  of  their  shape: 

1.  The  Spatula,  on  account  of  its  resemblance  to  a  flat  flexible  in¬ 
strument  or  knife  used  by  druggists  in  compounding  medicines.  It  has 
a  semi-circular  end,  not  exactly  round  or  long,  but  more  like  the  shape 
of  the  new  moon  or  crescent. 

People  with  such  hands  like  an  outdoor  life,  and  are  usually  piano 
players.  They  represent  action,  and  if  the  fingers  are  slender,  the  per¬ 
son  judges  men  and  things  by  inspiration  at  a  first  glance.  Where  they 
act  in  conformity  to  their  capacity,  their  first  impressions  are  the  best. 
Reflection  teaches  them  nothing,  they  perceive,  know,  or  guess  by  in¬ 
tuition. 

The  second  type  of  hand  is  the  Square,  that  is  the  ends  of  the 
fingers  are  nearly  straight  across  as  if  cut  that  way.  People  with  this 
type  of  hand  are  orderly,  very  orthodox  and  set  in  their  ways.  They 
are  useful  people  who  love  moderation,  and  are  always  good  reliable 
business  people.  In  the  case  of  women,  they  make  excellent  nurses. 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTRY 


297 


Where  the  fingers  are  slender  as  well  as  with  square  ends,  the  owners 
follow  the  disposition  and  temperament  of  the  “Spatula.”  In  the  lat¬ 
ter  case,  that  is,  the  square  slender  fingers,  there  are  indications  of  a 
taste  for  the  moral  sciences,  politics,  sociology,  philosophy,  etc.  These 
people  while  manifesting  a  taste  for  the  arts  and  sciences  possess  very 
little  enthusiasm,  their  square  finger  ends  indicating  that,  while  slender 
fingers  indicate  inspiration.  Thus  in  these  people  we  may  look  for  in¬ 
spiration  accompanied  by  reason  and  logic. 

The  third  type  of  hand  is  the  rounded,  or  conic.  The  fingers  are 
somewhat  more  rounded  than  the  Spatulate,  but  not  pointed.  The  conic 
hand  belongs  to  those  of  artistic,  enthusiastic  natures,  loving  novelty 
and  ease.  Their  imaginations  are  vivid  and  warm,  but  their  hearts  are 
usually  cold.  They  are  people  who  are  wedded  to  their  art,  and  do  not 
care  whether  they  make  any  money  out  of  it  or  not.  Most  of  them  play 
some  stringed  instrument,  but  are  not  piano  players. 

The  fourth  type  of  hand  is  the  pointed.  These  fingers  indicate 
piety,  ecstasy,  divination,  poetry,  invention  and  idealism.  Such  people 
are  highly  sensitive  and  go  to  extremes  in  their  inspirations. 

The  thumb  possesses  a  definite  meaning  in  palmistry,  and  occupies 
a  high  rank  in  the  opinion  of  the  philosophers,  as  an  indication  of  tem¬ 
perament. 

WHAT  THE  THUMB  INDICATES 

The  great  Newton,  the  discoverer  of  the  law  of  gravity,  declared 
that  in  the  absence  of  other  proofs  the  human  thumb  would  convince 
him  of  the  existence  of  God,  Another  philosopher  says :  ‘  ‘  The  superior 
animal  is  demonstrated  in  man  by  his  hand ;  but  the  man,  himself,  is  in 
the  thumb.  The  thumbs  of  monkeys  and  apes  are  not  very  flexible,  and 
can  not  be  used  with  the  facility  of  the  human  thumb.  For  this  reason 
many  naturalists  consider  the  thumb  of  the  monkey  as  a  mobile  claw. 

The  scientific  meaning  attached  to  the  thumb  by  palmistry  is  as 
follows: 

If  the  first  joint  of  the  thumb,  the  joint  carrying  the  nail,  is  long, 
its  owner  is  a  man  of  brains. 


298 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTRY 


A  short  second  joint  indicates  a  man  of  heart. 

The  third  joint,  or  the  root  of  the  thumb,  if  well  developed,  indi¬ 
cates  love  and  tenderness;  the  love  of  humanity,  parents,  children, 
friends,  etc.  But  if  the  first  and  second  joints  of  the  thumb  are  short 
and  feeble  with  a  well  developed  third  joint,  the  indications  are  for 
strong  passions.  Men  who  live  debauched  lives  have  short  and  feeble 
first  and  second  thumb  joints  and  heavy,  fat  third  joints.  The  same  is 
the  case  with  women. 

In  giving  the  general  outlines  of  the  meaning  of  the  hands,  fingers 
and  the  thumb,  it  must  be  considered  that  any  exaggerated  features 
also  exaggerate  the  temperament  or  character  attributed  to  them. 

LIFE  LINES  IN  THE  HAND 

The  lines  in  the  hand  indicated  in  the  cut  are  the  normal  lines  and 
may  be  studied  to  advantage  by  every  one.  If  your  particular  hand  is 
deficient  in  any  of  the  lines  marked,  or  if  they  are  not  so  well  developed, 
being  shorter,  you  need  not  feel  distressed  because  you  can  always  fall 
back  upon  other  marks,  other  qualities  that  make  a  good  showing.  Re¬ 
member  this  always:  that  when  the  lines  of  the  hand  are  very  much 
exaggerated  in  number,  or  shoAV  a  great  diminution  in  number,  they 
indicate  an  exaggerated  character — something  unusual  to  ordinary 
well  balanced  and  healthy  people.  As  long  as  you  can  keep  within  a 
reasonable  reach  of  the  regular  or  normal  hand,  you  may  go  ahead  with 
your  opportunities  regardless  of  the  lines  in  your  hand.  You  can  de¬ 
velop  your  own  character  along  good  lines,  and  then  your  hand  will  also 
begin  to  follow  your  developed  character. 

It  is  wise  to  get  rid  of  the  idea  that  there  is  anything  supernatural 
in  the  lines  of  the  hand,  or  in  anything  that  represents  character.  The 
body  is  governed  by  the  nerve  power;  the  nerves  are  controlled  by  the 
will  of  every  person,  and  this  acting  upon  the  nerves  sets  in  motion  the 
muscles  of  the  body,  all  of  which  act  through  sympathy,  and  end  by  as¬ 
suming  the  qualities  of  those  faculties  of  the  mind  which  are  the  strong¬ 
est  and  most  powerful.  This  is  explained  in  the  chapter  on  phrenology. 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTRY 


299 


The  hand  itself,  apart  from  the  lines  in  the  palm,  may  be  regarded 
as  an  indication  of  character.  There  are  several  kinds  of  hands  which 
may  be  taken  as  indicative  of  personal  character.  Thus,  there  are  hands 
which  are  long,  short,  hard,  soft,  mixed,  elementary,  and  the  hand  indi¬ 
cating  love  of  pleasure. 

The  spatulate  hand  should  be  taken  as  the  standard  for  hands  of 
every  sort,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  usual  and  ordinary  hand  upon  which 
to  build  character. 


THE  SHORT  HAND 

Generally  a  short  hand,  one  with  short  fingers,  indicates  inatten¬ 
tion  to  small  details.  Persons  with  such  hands  are  not  very  careful  of 
dress,  and  they  care  little  for  ceremony.  In  the  affairs  of  life  they 
judge  by  inspiration,  and  jump  at  a  speculation  without  examining  it 
closely.  They  keep  in  mind  some  definite  object  and  can  not  be  drawn 
away  from  it  entirely.  If  painters  or  artists,  they  prefer  large  land¬ 
scapes  or  subjects  in  which  there  are  no  distinguishing  details.  As 
writers,  they  are  brief  and  concise  in  their  style  of  writing,  with  a  ten¬ 
dency  to  omit  details  that  may  be  essential. 

THE  LONG  HAND 

On  the  contrary,  the  long  hand  is  irresistibly  drawn  toward  small 
details  even  to  the  exclusion  of  the  principal  object.  A  flower  painter 
or  one  who  paints  small  objects  will  generally  have  a  long,  thick  hand, 
whereas  a  writer  with  a  long  hand  and  pointed  fingers  will  go  into  the 
smallest  and  most  tiresome  details.  A  long  hand  with  knotted  finger 
joints,  indicates  precaution  and  mania. 

A  man  with  a  long  hand  is  careful  of  his  dress  and  exacts  the  same 
care  from  you.  If  you  want  to  influence  such  a  man  you  must  wear  a 
clean  collar  and  a  fine  necktie,  otherwise  he  will  turn  you  down  without 
inquiring  farther  into  your  capacity. 

A  man  with  a  long  hand,  knotted  fingers  and  a  large  thumb,  loves 
to  argue  and  dispute  about  trifles.  If  a  lawyer,  he  will  be  a  pettifogger 
and  quibble  over  a  penny  at  the  risk  of  losing  a  dollar. 


300 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTRY 


Such  a  mail  can  be  easily  irritated  by  opposition,  and  a  mere  trifle 
will  start  a  quarrel. 

The  hard  hand  indicates  energy,  exercise,  effort,  pedestrianism, 
hunting,  sports  generally,  where  action  and  hard  work  are  essential. 

Such  a  man  will  find  rest  from  one  kind  of  work  by  doing  another 
kind.  He  never  seems  to  be  overworked.  He  loves  fatigue  and  a  hard 
bed,  and  will  rise  with  the  sun  to  walk  in  the  rain,  or  take  a  bath  in  icy 
water. 

Where  the  hand  is  unusually  hard,  it  indicates  lack  of  intelligence, 
or  at  least  a  heavy  mind. 

The  soft  hand  is  effeminate.  The  owner  has  a  lazy  body.  He 
dreads  fatigue,  and  will  remain  in  the  same  seat  all  day.  He  goes  to 
bed  early  and  rises  late.  He  admires  noise,  spectacles,  plays,  and  all 
sorts  of  active  performances  where  others  do  the  work,  and  he  can 
sit  without  exertion  and  look  on.  He  always  wants  a  comfortable  seat 
and  be  shaded  from  the  sun  in  summer,  or  near  the  heater  in  winter. 

A  person  with  a  soft  hand  easily  falls  into  superstition,  and  allows 
his  imagination  to  carry  him  away  at  every  opportunity.  He  is  an 
admirer  of  hypnotism,  fortune  telling,  spiritualism,  and  is  very  cred¬ 
ulous. 


THE  VOLUPTUOUS  HAND 

The  hand  indicating  pleasure,  or  the  voluptuous  hand,  is  very 
plump,  with  long  pointed  fingers.  The  latter  at  the  joints  are  smooth 
without  knots,  and  very  much  enlarged  at  the  base  of  the  third  joint. 

It  is  dimpled,  with  a  strong  fleshy  palm,  the  base  or  root  of  the 
thumb  very  much  developed.  The  thumb  is  usually  very  short.  This 
is  the  hand  which  possesses  the  character  of  beauty,  and  it  is  the  hand 
of  people  of  pleasure,  and  of  women  engaged  in  a  life  of  sensual 
pleasures. 

The  elementary  hand  is  hard  and  stiff.  The  thumb  turned  back 
and  the  palm  of  an  excessive  thickness  and  hardness. 

The  owners  of  such  hands  are  controlled  by  usage;  their  passions 
are  mere  habits,  and  they  are  not  easily  excited.  Their  minds  are 


THE  SCIENCE  OF  PALMISTRY 


301 


heavy,  their  imagination  slow,  their  souls  inert,  and  their  indifference 
profound.  They  are  easily  discouraged  and  sensible  to  sorrow  or  grief. 
Where  the  fingers  are  long  and  pointed,  they  are  sensible,  credible, 
and  attracted  by  poetry,  but  they  have  none  of  the  instincts  of  the 
voluptuous  hand.  As  a  rule,  it  may  be  said  that  a  long  hand  with 
short  fingers  is  an  elementary  hand,  and  in  fonn  approaches  that  of 
an  animal.  The  lines  on  such  a  hand  are  not  numerous  and  indicate 
little  except  an  absence  of  character.  The  owners,  however,  are  sus¬ 
ceptible  to  development  through  education,  and  then  their  hands 
change  for  the  better  and  the  lines  show  more  character. 


HOW  TO  READ  CHARACTER 


The  Head  as  an  Index  of  Peculiar  Traits — The  Most  Profitable 
Study  in  the  World — The  Ability  to  Read  Men  Is  to 
Know  Human  Nature — The  Object  of  Phrenology  is  to 
Help  Men  to  Understand  Themselves  and  Improve  Their 
Minds. 


The  most  delightful  as  well  as  instructive  reading  in  the  world 
is  the  reading  of  character.  It  is  stirring  in  interest  and  of  the  greatest 
practical  value.  It  is  the  study  of  human  nature  which  is  much  more 
instructive  than  the  study  of  the  natural  history  of  birds,  fish  and  other 
animals. 

It  is  human  nature  that  sways  the  world  and  upon  which  all  of 
us  depend  for  advancement,  education,  and  the  means  of  earning  a 
livelihood. 

AVe  can  not  study  a  man’s  character  from  within  his  mind  and 
brain,  but  must  do  so  from  the  outside.  The  real  part  of  a  man  whose 
character  we  are  anxious  to  study  is  his  head,  his  hands;  all  the  rest 
of  him  is  concealed  from  our  eyes,  but  in  the  head  and  the  hands  we 
have  the  entire  man,  for  it  is  in  those  portions  of  his  body  that  his 
intelligence  shines  through,  or  the  surface  shows  what  is  hidden  within 
him. 

It  was  Moses  who  said  that  the  laws  of  God  are  printed  on  the 
face  and  hands  of  every  man,  and  as  to  the  reading  of  the  hand,  that 
is  explained  in  another  chapter.  We  now  come  to  the  countenance,  or 
face,  and  the  head. 

To  all  appearances  all  heads  are  alike,  with  just  a  few  differences 
in  size  and  shape.  It  is  just  this  size  and  shape  that  makes  all  the 
difference,  and  enables  us  to  read  character  in  the  head,  or  face.  If 

302 


HOW  TO  READ  CHARACTER 


303 


all  men  looked  alike,  and  tlieir  heads  were  exactly  similar  in  size  and 
shape,  why,  everybody  would  have  the  same  character  and  disposition 
just  like  a  flock  of  sheep. 

The  great  differences  in  human  nature  are  the  marks  of  superiority, 
for  in  the  case  of  lower  animals  one  looks  like  another  of  the  same 
breed  or  strain.  Thus  all  bears  are  alike,  all  fish  are  the  same,  all  birds 
are  identical  so  far  as  their  framework  or  the  shape  of  their  heads  is 
concerned.  There  are  various  colors  of  feathers,  kinds  of  fur,  and  so 
on,  but  in  their  heads  and  faces  there  is  nothing  to  distinguish  one 
breed  from  another.  The  individuals  are  of  the  same  stamp. 

But  in  man,  the  case  is  different,  and  he  may  be  identified  by  his 
head  and  hands,  and  every  individual  separated  from  every  other  indi¬ 
vidual  by  the  peculiar  and  different  shape  of  his  head,  and  the  lines  of 
his  hands. 

When  an  infant  is  born  his  skull  is  soft  and  easily  crushed.  It  is 
like  the  soft  covering  of  an  egg  that  is  sometimes  laid  before  the  shell 
has  formed.  An  alligator’s  egg  is  a  good  illustration.  This  is  Nature’s 
way  of  providing  against  accident  to  the  baby’s  head  which  receives 
blows  by  falling  that  might  break  a  hard  and  rigid  skull. 

As  the  child  grows  and  learns  things,  its  head  expands  because  it 
is  soft,  and  as  each  part  of  the  brain  possesses  a  particular  faculty  that 
grows  and  presses  out  the  part  of  the  skull  forming  a  “bump”  as  it  is 
familiarly  called.  This  is  all  there  is  in  Phrenology,  roughly  speaking, 
so  far  as  physiology  is  concerned,  but  when  we  come  to  reading  these 
“bumps”  to  ascertain  what  is  in  the  head,  or  what  faculties  have  not 
been  developed,  the  science  of  Phrenology  begins. 

The  chart  of  the  head  shown  on  page  220  gives  the  location  of  the 
mental  faculties  in  the  skull. 

It  should  be  understood  that  every  faculty  of  the  brain,  when  de¬ 
veloped  more  than  any  other,  or  developed  to  a  great  extent,  the  more 
its  appearance  may  be  noticed  on  the  surface  of  the  skull.  In  other 
words:  The  skull,  composed  of  a  hard  and  bony  structure,  is  constantly 
yielding  to  the  expanding  efforts  of  the  soft  substance  of  the  brain, 
and  becomes  the  bony  image  of  the  brain,  or  its  mould. 


HOW  TO  READ  CHARACTER 


S04< 


Here  we  have  the  great  value  of  this  method  of  reading  character. 

The  faculties  of  the  brain  as  represented  on  the  chart  shown,  are 
developed  by  education  which  stimulates  their  growth,  hence,  in  read¬ 
ing  the  head  it  is  possible  to  tell,  nearly,  what  faculties  are  not  well 
developed,  what  are  missing,  and  which  are  well  developed. 

By  knowing  what  is  in  a  man’s  mind,  that  is  in  his  head,  we  can 
operate  successfully  on  his  mind,  govern  his  actions,  in  other  words, 
sway  him  in  our  direction.  To  sway  men’s  minds  is  to  give  popularity 
at  home,  a  business  man  bargains,  the  politician  votes,  the  minister 
moral  influence  to  do  good  and  promote  virtue,  the  speaker  hearers, 
writers  readers,  and  all  who  persuade  men  in  any  direction,  their  per¬ 
suasive  powers. 

By  understanding  how  to  read  a  man ’s  character,  you  learn  human 
nature  in  general,  and  the  specific  nature  of  every  man  you  meet.  It 
teaches  you  whom  to  trust,  and  whom  not ;  whom  to  seek  and  whom  to 
shun;  to  find  out  who  can  do  a  certain  thing  best;  whom  to  select  for  a 
business  or  conjugal  partner,  and  whom  to  discard. 

Success  is  all  there  is  in  life.  But  success  depends  mainly  upon 
influencing  men  to  do  as  you  desire.  To  influence  men  you  must  know 
them,  and  also  know  yourself.  This  latter  is  the  most  important  knowl¬ 
edge  and  the  knowledge  of  human  nature  in  general  is  the  next  in 
importance. 

STUDY  YOUR  OWN  CHARACTER 

You  study  your  own  character,  your  own  capability,  and  then  you 
seek  to  utilize  them  by  finding  a  place  or  a  situation  in  which  you  will 
fit.  The  man  you  go  to  for  a  favor,  whose  influence  you  hope  to  gain, 
is  as  far  away  from  you  as  the  stars  unless  you  know  him. 

Phrenology  teaches  you  how  to  know  men,  and  makes  no  mistakes. 
We  have  an  idea  of  brutality,  bestiality,  meanness,  untrustworthiness, 
etc.,  by  merely  looking  at  a  man’s  head  and  face,  but  appearances  are 
deceptive,  it  is  a  knowledge  of  the  mental  faculties  that  count  and 
which  tell  the  truth.  Many  a  fine  shaped  head,  an  Apollo  of  a  figure 
and  a  handsome  face,  conceals  intellectual  faculties  of  such  deficient 


HOW  TO  READ  CHARACTER 


305 


or  depraved  character  that  they  would  not  be  trusted  with  a  cent  of 
money  or  a  secret  to  be  kept.  On  the  other  hand,  many  a  misshapen 
head,  a  plain  and  homely  countenance,  a  figure  as  crooked  as  sin,  pos¬ 
sesses  all  the  manly  qualities  of  a  perfect  being. 

You  can  not  tell  the  difference  between  men,  and  you  can  not  judge 
at  all  without  studying  the  character  of  the  man  in  his  faculties  ex¬ 
pressed  upon  his  head. 

This  knowledge  will  be  worth  to  you  more  than  all  the  money  and 
other  possessions  you  can  ever  obtain. 

Let  us  examine  this  matter  scientifically  and  not  guess  at  it: 

Years  of  careful  observation  and  the  most  rigid  explorations  of 
human  anatomy,  that  is,  tests  made  upon  the  human  body,  agree  that 
the  mind  or  soul  of  man — his  inner  individuality,  may  be  divided  into 
three  great  parts  or  classes: 

1.  Instincts; 

2.  Sentiments ; 

3.  Intelligence. 

The  instincts,  or  the  passions,  are  located  in  the  brain  on  the  lower 
side  above  and  back  of  the  ears.  They  are  common  to  man  and  the 
animal.  They  satisfy  his  desire  to  live,  the  love  of  possession,  or  repro¬ 
duction  or  the  perpetuation  of  the  species. 

The  sentiments  are  to  be  found  at  the  back  of  the  head  toward  the 
top.  They  are  the  faculties  of  imagination,  tenderness,  right,  duty, 
justice,  will  and  aptitude  or  efficiency,  and  conscience. 

All  of  these  faculties  press  upon  the  third  grand  division  of  the 
mind  or  soul,  held  in  abeyance  for  its  action,  so  to  speak,  and  this 
third  grand  division  is  the  intelligence,  the  sign  of  man’s  supremacy, 
and  like  a  guide  or  a  leader  it  resides  in  the  front  and  upper  part  of 
the  head.  We  find  in  it  and  grouped  about  it,  efficiency,  the  arts,  sci¬ 
ences  and  refining  influences  that  tinge  the  whole  character  to  a  greater 
or  less  degree. 

It  will  be  possible  by  studying  the  chart  to  locate  most  of  the  facul¬ 
ties  that  a  perfect  man  possesses.  At  the  same  time,  by  comparison 
with  men  we  have  around  us  and  within  reach  of  our  obsenmtion,  it  is 

20_L  s 


306 


HOW  TO  READ  CHARACTER 


possible  to  note  tlie  absence  of  any  particular  prominent  faculty  and 
judge  character  accordingly. 

It  would  be  unjust  to  human  nature,  however,  to  judge  of  a  man 
because  he  does  not  exhibit  the  presence  of  all  the  natural  faculties 
that  go  to  make  a  man,  for  there  may  be  some  missing  or  not  in  evi¬ 
dence  that  are  not  needed,  or  that  have  never  been  brought  into  use. 

Study,  education,  and  environment,  together  with  training,  tend  to 
develop  some  one  or  more  faculties,  and  make  them  prominent,  for 
which  reason,  we  should  not  judge  from  a  single  missing  faculty,  for 
it  may  be  latent,  and  susceptible  of  development  by  training  or  educa¬ 
tion. 

When  a  man  has  strongly  developed  faculties  of  instinct,  and 
poorly  developed  faculties  of  sentiment  and  intelligence,  it  will  be  safe 
to  keep  out  of  his  society,  until  he  has  shown  himself  superior  to  his 
animal  instincts. 

THE  EVIL  EYE 

Some  men’s  instincts  are  manifested  in  their  eyes,  which  possess 
an  unholy  look,  and  cause  a  shiver  of  fear  or  distrust  to  pass  over  the 
one  upon  whom  they  are  cast.  It  is  through  the  evil  eye,  credited  by 
the  Italians  particularly,  that  men  and  women  are  made  to  tremble  with 
apprehension.  Every  one  can  tell  of  similar  experiences  and  innocent 
women,  especially,  are  good  judges  of  the  character  of  a  man  from  the 
look  in  his  eyes.  So  too,  the  intelligence  in  a  man  may  “shine”  in  his 
eyes.  Little  children  can  tell  immediately  the  character  of  most  men  and 
women  by  their  eyes.  They  are  drawn  to  one  with  intelligence  in  his 
gaze,  or  where  there  is  benevolence  and  kindness,  and  they  shrink  from 
the  eye  which  shows  instincts  only. 

This  eye  expression  must  be  understood  to  mean  that  the  eyes  are 
an  index  of  what  is  behind  them.  The  faculties  that  are  the  most  pre¬ 
valent  shine  through  the  eyes,  and  hence  it  is  possible  to  form  a  very 
good  idea  of  character  from  these  organs. 

The  study  of  character  may  be  extended  to  the  face,  or  the  counte¬ 


nance. 


HOW  TO  HEAD  CHARACTER 


307 


Of  course,  all  expressions  of  the  face  are  caused  by  the  muscles 
operated  on  or  acting  in  obedience  to  the  faculties  of  the  mind.  The 
muscles  of  the  face  always  act  in  sympathy  with  the  faculties  that  call 
them  into  action. 

It  is  common  observation  among  medical  men  of  scientific  attain¬ 
ments  and  experience,  that  the  human  face  by  a  repetition  of  the  same 
ideas,  the  same  passions,  the  same  affections,  and  consequently  the  same 
movements  of  the  muscles  or  skin  of  the  face,  acquire  a  particular  ex¬ 
pression  that  indicates  the  ideas  or  faculties  of  the  mind,  which  are 
easily  distinguishable  in  different  individuals  as  so  many  traits  of 
character. 

Thus:  The  more  morally  degraded  a  man,  the  more  his  ill-favored 
faculties  appear  on  his  face.  The  face  contracts  in  sympathy  with  his 
low  instincts  and  betrays  his  character  at  a  glance.  In  like  manner, 
benevolence,  kindness,  and  intelligence  generally  show  in  the  muscles 
of  the  face,  and  by  long  usage  of  these  muscles  the  face  acquires  a  per¬ 
manent  benevolent  appearance. 

This  is  so  true,  that  any  person  may  imitate  or  represent  any  faculty 
by  merely  moving  the  muscles  of  his  face.  Thus:  a  man  may  give  an 
affable,  benevolent  smile  to  attract  another,  or  he  may  express  his  un- 
amiable  qualities  or  faculties,  by  giving  a  hideous,  diabolical  or  fright¬ 
ful  smile  that  repulses. 

How  necessary  it  is  to  study  character  by  examining  all  the  physi¬ 
cal  peculiarities  of  a  man,  will  be  apparent  in  a  simi)le  experiment  that 
any  one  can  try. 

It  has  been  said  that  intelligence  or  evil  may  be  made  to  shine 
through  the  eyes.  It  is  true  the  eyes  are  the  index  of  the  mind,  but 
standing  alone  and  naked  without  the  surrounding  muscles  of  the  face 
they  do  not  indicate  anything  more  intelligent  than  a  glass  marble. 

Here  is  the  proof: 

THE  EYES  OF  A  BEAUTIFUL  WOMAN 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  and  cut  holes  to  fit  the  size  of  the  eyes  and 
place  it  over  the  face  so  as  to  cover  everything  but  the  eyes.  Now  look 


308 


HOW  TO  BEAD  CHAEACTER 


at  the  eyes.  They  will  he  as  expressionless  as  those  of  a  dead  fish. 
Even  the  eyes  of  a  beautiful  woman,  or  a  Satanic  criminal  appear  the 
same  so  far  as  expression  is  concerned.  But  when  the  mask  is  removed, 
and  the  eyes  and  the  muscles  combine,  then  there  appears  the  expres¬ 
sion  that  denotes  character. 

Not  to  leave  anything  doubtful  about  the  fact  that  the  face,  or  what 
is  called  the  “physiognomy,”  is  a  reflection  of  the  faculties  of  the  brain, 
it  may  be  said  that  in  the  case  of  a  blind  man  who  can  not  show  his 
faculties  through  the  eyes,  his  muscular  use  of  his  face  will  display 
his  character  as  well  as  if  he  had  good  eyes. 

It  should  be  understood  that  the  muscles  of  the'  face  that  are 
brought  into  play  to  show  mental  faculties,  are  subject  to  the' will 
power.  That  is,  they  may  be  made  to  show  any  faculty  and  thus  de¬ 
ceive  the  beholder. 

A  man  may  show  benevolence,  honesty,  friendship,  etc.,  and  at  the 
same  time  be  laying  plans  to  injure  the  person  to  whom  he  shows  his 
hypocritical  perversion.  So  a  man  may  put  on  a  terrible  even  a  mur¬ 
derous  expression  while  feeling  the  most  peaceful  and  amiable  sen¬ 
timents. 

In  such  case,  and  knowing  this  ability  to  deceive,  the  other  char¬ 
acteristics  of  the  head  must  be  studied.  A  man  with  a  bad  character 
may  pretend  by  his  face  to  be  a  good  man,  but  his  head  will  betray  his 
real  character.  So  a  man  may  pretend  to  be  a  bad  man,  and  show  a 
wicked  expression  on  his  face,  but  a  glance  at  his  head  will  show  that 
he  is  a  good  man,  and  is  pretending  to  be  a  bad  one  for  a  purpose. 


HYPNOTISM,  ANIMAL  MAGNETISM,  MIND 
READING,  FORTUNE  TELLING 


A  MIXTURE  OF  TRUTH  AND  SUPERSTITION -HOW  THE  WEAK  AND 
CREDULOUS  ARE  DECEIVED  AND  CHEATED-THE  VEIL  OF  MYSTERY 
WITHDRAWN-SCIENTIFIC  EXPLANATION-MENTAL  COMMUNICA¬ 
TIONS  BETWEEN  PERSONS  FAR  APART-THE  MEANING  OF  DREAMS 
AND  THEIR  CAUSES-WHY  THE  STARS  DO  NOT  CONTROL  ACTIONS 
OF  MEN. 


To  begin  an  explanation  of  the  numerous  surprising  things  that 
happen  to  men,  and  to  which  something  mysterious  or  supernatural  is 
attributed,  we  must  first  understand  the  principles  that  govern  nature. 

When  a  man  makes  a  few  passes  before  the  eyes  of  another,  with 
his  hands  and  puts  that  person  to  sleep ;  if  he  manipulates  his  head  with 
a  few  downward  motions  of  his  hands  and  makes  him  do  what  he  does 
not  warrt  to  do ;  if  a  man  takes  you  by  the  hand  and  looking  into  your 
eyes  steadily  for  a  moment,  and  then  tells  you  what  you  are  thinking 
about;  if  you  go  to  a  fortune  teller  and  he  tells  you  where  to  find  a 
beautiful  wife  or  a  gold  mine;  if  you  do  not  cross  your  fingers  when 
you  see  a  black  cat  you  will  have  bad  luck;  if  you  dream  of  the  ace  of 
hearts  and  win  at  craps;  if  you  have  a  certain  number  fixed  in  your 
mind  and  win  in  a  lottery;  if  you  wake  up  suddenly  at  night  and  see 
your  friend  in  Jericho,  and  get  a  letter  saying  he  died  at  that  moment, 
or  if  all  sorts  of  things  happen  you  by  reason  of  your  seeing  the  new 
moon  over  your  left  shoulder,  the  only  way  you  can  avoid  trouble  is  to 
eat  a  dish  of  tripe,  and  so  on,  the  trouble  is  all  caused  by,  and  all  the 

309 


310 


HYPNOTISM,  FOETUNE  TELLING,  ETC. 


things  mentioned  happen  on  account  of  the  things  you  saw,  or  dreamed 
or  thought  of.  That  is  what  many  people  believe. 

There  are  also  many  other  people  who  do  not  believe  in  such  things 
and  go  through  life  as  if  they  were  wooden  Indians  standing  in  front 
of  a  cigar  store. 


THE  WIZARD  AND  THE  FOOL 

Both  these  classes  of  people  are  wrong,  but  there  is  some  truth 
sandwiched  in  between  all  the  foregoing  nonsense;  some  things  that 
may  be  believed  because  they  are  true,  but  anybody  with  a  silk  hat  and 
fine  clothes  who  calls  himself  a  wizard  can  not  explain  them.  They 
are  frauds  and  are  after  money — they  want  it  badly  and  if  they  can  get 
hold  of  you  and  play  upon  your  weakness  or  superstition,  they  are 
bound  to  get  your  money  and  laugh  at  you  secretly  for  being  a  fool. 

Every  human  being  is  a  complete  machine  in  himself,  and  he  has 
no  connection  whatever  with  any  other  human  being.  He  is  an  indi¬ 
vidual,  and  you  might  as  well  imagine  an  automobile  operating  another 
automobile  a  mile  off  as  to  imagine  one  man  managing  the  physical 
machinery  of  another  without  actual  violence  personally. 

No  man  can  stretch  out  his  arm,  look  fierce  and  fixedly  at  another 
and  make  him  do  things  unless  that  other  man  wants  to  do  them.  In 
such  a  case  it  will  not  be  the  external  power  that  acts  upon  the  person, 
but  the  wish,  desire,  and  willingness  of  the  person  affected.  He  may 
even  operate  upon  himself  as  will  be  explained. 

Every  man  is  composed  of  an  infinite  number  of  bundles  of  nerves 
and  these  nerves  manage  his  physical  body,  his  mind,  his  brain,  and  his 
entire  system.  Whenever  any  of  these  bundles  of  nerves  are  affected 
some  part  of  a  man’s  brain  is  affected,  and  his  will  responds  to  the 
action  of  the  nerves. 

In  addition  to  these  bundles  of  nerves  which  may  be  played  upon, 
every  man  has  a  sympathetic  system  of  nerves  that  operates  or  works 
when  he  is  asleep  or  his  real  mind  or  brain  is  at  rest.  This  is  why 


HYPNOTISM,  FORTUNE  TELLING,  ETC. 


311 


men  dream,  the  sympathetic  nerves  are  acting  independently  of  the 
nerves  which  are  controlled  by  the  wide  awake  will,  and  they  atfect 
the  unopposing  brain  by  creating  all  sorts  of  images.  There  are  about 
three  thousand  millions  of  cells  in  the  human  brain,  and  these  cells  are 
intended  to  hold  ideas,  thoughts,  impressions,  pictures,  etc.  Every 
thing  that  can  be  heard,  seen,  felt,  tasted,  or  imagined  finds  a  lodg¬ 
ment  in  some  cell. 

DREAMS  AND  NIGHTMARE. 

All  the  nerves  act  upon  these  cell  contents,  the  real  nerves  as  well 
as  the  sympathetic  nerves.  To  make  this  clear,  imagine  a  very  common 
occurrence  which  everybody  has  experienced:  You  eat  a  hearty  meal 
of  heavy  food  and  top  it  off  with  mince  pie,  or  a  quantity  of  cheese. 
During  the  night  you  have  a  fearful  “nightmare,”  and  dream  about  all 
sorts  of  dreadful  things.  You  are  gored  by  a  wild  bull;  you  are  chased 
by  savages;  you  fall  off  a  steep  precipice  or  down  a  deep  well.  The 
dream  is  so  real  that  you  awake  in  fright  and  find  that  you  are  covered 
with  a  cold  perspiration. 

You  do  not  see  anything  mysterious  about  this  dream,  because  you 
know  what  caused  it.  It  was  the  mince  pie  or  the  cheese.  It  is  easily 
explained  by  attributing  it  to  the  sympathetic  nerves  of  the  stomach 
which  try  to  digest  the  heavy  food,  and  in  their  struggles  they  reach 
up  into  the  brain  cells  and  affect  their  contents — mixing  them  up,  so  to 
speak — producing  a  jumble  that  would  not  happen  if  you  were  awake 
and  could  control  the  workings  of  your  brain. 

The  same  reason  may  be  given  in  cases  of  delirium,  when  the  nerves 
that  keep  your  body  in  a  healthy  balance  are  thrown  out  of  gear  and 
overpower  your  real  nerves  thus  causing  confusion.  Everything,  you 
will  perceive,  comes  back  to  the  brain,  even  if  it  is  a  corn  on  the  toe, 
or  the  hives  in  hot  weather.  You  are  thrown  out  of  the  perpendicular 
as  it  were,  and  can  not  always  get  back  again  immediately.  It  is  the 
same  with  crazy  persons,  they  have  lost  the  use  of  their  real  will  nerves 
and  the  sympathetic  nerves  have  got  control  of  their  brain.  Reason  flies 


312 


HYPNOTISM,  FORTUNE  TELLING,  ETC. 


away  under  such  circumstances,  because  reason  is  an  exercise  of  the 
will  power,  and  that  power  is  lost  or  overpowered. 

MYSTERIOUS  INFLUENCES 

We  are  now  ready  to  explain  the  so-called  mysterious  influences 
which  many  suppose  to  be  supernatural,  but  which  it  will  be  found  to 
be  “Nerves.’’ 

The  nerves  which  are  controlled  by  the  will  power,  those  which 
enable  every  man  to  be  conscious  of  what  he  does,  constitute  what  is 
known  as  “consciousness.”  A  man  is  conscious  of  what  he  does  when 
he  can  control  his  nerves  of  action.  He  ‘  ‘  knows  what  he  is  doing.  ’  ’ 

Now,  the  nerves  of  sympathy,  those  which  go  on  working  when  a 
man  is  asleep,  or  when  he  is  not  conscious  of  what  he  does,  like  breath¬ 
ing,  his  heart  beats,  his  stomach,  liver,  and  all  the  other  nerves  which 
exist  and  act  independently  of  the  conscious  or  will  nerves,  make  what 
is  called  a  “sub-conscious”  man — a  man  that  acts  without  knowing 
what  he  is  doing  and  without  being  able  to  prevent  it.  Every  one  has 
fallen  into  a  half  dreamy  state,  by  thinking  long  and  deeply  upon  a 
subject,  or  has  been  doing  a  difficult  piece  of  work.  In  such  case  he 
does  things  “mechanically”  as  it  is  said,  but  it  means  that  his  sub¬ 
conscious  part  is  working  and  trying  to  get  control.  People  are  “ab¬ 
sent-minded  ’  ’  for  this  reason. 

WEAK  WILL  POWER 

By  permitting  his  anger  to  get  the  better  of  him,  that  is  beyond 
the  control  of  his  will  power,  he  may  kill  another  and  this  without  in¬ 
tending  to  do  so,  or  even  knowing  that  he  has  done  so  until  he  comes  to 
himself.  So,  a  man  deeply  in  love  will  do  the  most  extraordinary 
things,  and  make  everybody  laugh  at  his  foolishness.  His  sympathetic 
nerves  have  got  him  under  control  and  he  really  loses  his  reason  for  a 
time.  A  man  becomes  a  drunkard  for  the  same  reason;  or  throws  his 


HYPNOTISM,  FORTUNE  TELLING,  ETC. 


313 


money  away  in  speculating  or  gambling.  He  is  weak  in  his  will  power, 
and  easily  overpowered,  influenced,  or  controlled. 

When  a  man  is  in  this  condition,  he  can  easily  be  hypnotized,  that 
is,  put  to  sleep  by  another  person  operating  upon  his  sub-conscious 
nerves,  and  still  further  weakening  his  will  power.  He  can  be  made 
to  do  everything  he  is  told  to  do,  and  any  suggestion  meets  with  his 
instant  approval.  He  will  drink  water,  thinking  it  whiskey,  and  actu¬ 
ally  become  intoxicated,  and  do  other  things  that  appear  ridiculous, 
but  which  are  real  to  him. 

HYPNOTISM  EXPLAINED 

Before  science  had  explained  the  phenomena  of  hypnotism  and  the 
control  over  the  nerves  of  the  human  body,  animal  magnetism  was  the 
name  given  to  this  influence,  and  it  was  practiced  for  ages  in  Persia, 
India,  and  Greece,  but  this  electric  power  of  attraction  has  fallen  into 
disuse  and  hypnotism  has  taken  its  place. 

Hypnotism  means  “sleep,”  and  its  discoverer.  Dr.  Braid,  of  Eng¬ 
land,  thus  describes  it: 

“The  hypnotic  state  is  a  particular  or  specific  condition  of  the 
nervous  system,  created  by  artificial  manipulations,  tending  to  the  par¬ 
alysis  of  the  nervous  centers  to  destroy  the  nervous  equilibrium.” 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  the  nature  of  hypnotism,  and  it  is  re¬ 
garded  as  improper  for  common  use  because  of  the  danger  that  the 
person  put  “to  sleep”  will  not  awaken,  but  die  in  the  sleep.  We  know, 
however,  that  by  controlling  the  nerves  of  weak  persons  or  those  who 
are  reduced  by  disease  and  can  not  exercise  much  nervous  force,  such 
persons  may  be  induced  to  act  contrary  to  their  will.  A  mother  croons 
or  sings  to  her  restless  babe  and  it  falls  asleep.  This  is  the  idea,  briefly 
expressed,  of  the  action  of  hypnotism. 

MIND  READING 

Mind  reading  is  considered  as  something  mysterious,  but  investi¬ 
gation  has  shown  that  it  is  merely  reading  the  nerves.  If  a  strong 


314 


HYPNOTISM,  FOETUNE  TELLING,  ETC. 


minded  person  wants  another  to  do  something  he  exercises  control  over 
the  nerves  and  persuades  that  person  to  do  as  required.  And  after  a 
person  lias  done  something,  the  same  strong  minded  person  can  often 
tell  by  taking  hold  of  the  hand  of  the  other,  what  has  been  done.  The 
nerves  indicate  the  direction  of  the  thoughts,  particularly  when  a  per¬ 
son  has  concealed  something;  his  thoughts  are  on  the  hiding  place,  and 
his  nerves  stretch  in  that  direction,  and  the  outsider  in  contact  with 
the  nerves  can  tell  the  direction.  In  all  cases  of  mind  reading  there 
must  be  actual  contact  between  the  person  whose  mind  is  supposed  to 
be  read  and  the  mind  reader.  Where  there  is  no  such  contact  the  re¬ 
sult  is  guesswork. 


FORTUNE  TELLING 

Fortune  telling,  or  divination,  has  been  universal  in  all  ages  of  the 
world,  and  among  all  nations  alike,  civilized  or  savage.  The  unknown 
and  mysterious  have  always  had  numerous  advocates  and  believers 
and  out  of  their  various  beliefs  and  practices  have  sprung  every  con¬ 
ceivable  form  of  divination.  It  is  sometimes  called  “Occultism,”  which 
means  something  hidden,  and  the  word  covers  a  larger  field  than  the 
common  tricks  of  Gypsies  and  others  who  make  fortune  telling  a  pro¬ 
fession;  spiritist  manifestations,  or  supernatural  phenomena.  It  is 
really  a  science  and  properly  studied,  is  an  attempt  to  combine  the 
mysterious  forces  of  nature  with  the  spiritual  forces  of  the  supernat¬ 
ural  into  one  common  system.  It  is  a  vast  school  to  which  the  intel¬ 
ligent  and  learned  are  flocking,  but  they  are  applying  commonsense 
and  reason  for  trickery  and  ignorant  incantations. 

When  a  person  goes  to  a  so-called  fortune  teller  to  have  his  “for¬ 
tune  told,  ’  ’  the  fortune  teller  has  no  more  power  to  look  into  the  future 
than  a  wooden  post.  We  all  know  that  the  sun  will  rise  tomorrow  morn¬ 
ing  and  set  tomorrow  night,  and  so  on  with  many  phenomena  of  nature. 
But  the  professional  fortune  teller  studies  his  visitor.  He  knows  from 
the  shape  of  his  head,  his  hands,  his  face,  his  language,  his  eyes,  etc., 
the  general  character  of  the  inquirer,  and  he  pretends  to  prophesy  ac- 


HYPNOTISM,  FOBTUNE  TELLING,  ETC. 


315 


cordingly.  He  finds  out  or  suspects  what  the  person  wants  and  prophe¬ 
sies  that  he  will  get  a  gold  mine,  marry  a  beautiful  girl,  fall  heir  to  a 
fortune,  or  be  hanged  for  that  matter.  There  is  no  limit  to  what  may 
be  prophesied  very  nearly  correct  judging  from  a  person’s  character. 

ASTROLOGY  OR  SCIENCE  OF  THE  STARS 

Many  place  faith  in  astrology,  or  the  study  or  science  of  the  stars. 
But  astronomy  tells  us  that  the  stars  are  moving  through  space  at  a 
tremendous  rate,  faster  than  an  express  train,  and  are  never  in  the 
same  place  so  far  as  the  earth  is  concerned.  If  the  stars  had  any  in¬ 
fluence  on  the  fate  of  men,  or  any  influence  on  anything  on  earth,  the 
latter  would  not  last  a  moment  but  would  be  shriveled  up  instantly  like 
a  drop  of  water  in  a  fiery  furnace.  There  are  millions  of  stars  and 
they  are  billions  of  miles  away  from  us,  and  traveling  through  space  as 
does  the  earth  faster  than  a  bullet  from  a  rifle,  would  require  thousands 
of  years  at  that  rate  to  reach  the  nearest  star.  We  can  therefore  say 
that  the  influence  of  any  star  or  constellation  of  stars  would  have  a 
very  small  influence  on  the  short  space  of  a  man’s  life. 

Science  has  demonstrated  that  all  these  mysterious  influences  and 
appearances,  and  events,  come  from  our  own  minds.  Men  see  many 
curious  things  in  dreams  when  their  eyes  are  shut,  because  the  eyes  of 
the  mind,  the  billions  of  brain  cells  contain  things  which  are  active 
when  our  physical  senses  are  asleep  or  not  active. 

SOLVING  PROBLEMS  WHEN  ASLEEP 

We  ardently  wish  for  things  when  awake  and  in  a  dream  we  may 
have  the  wished  for  thing;  and  it  may  be  said  that  thousands  of  dreams 
are  made  up  of  the  realization  of  wishes  that  have  not  been  fulfilled 
in  reality.  Then  again,  there  are  many  things  the  expression  of  which 
is  either  forbidden,  or  not  permitted.  We  dream  of  those  things  be¬ 
cause  the  idea  is  in  the  mind,  and  the  sympathetic  nerves  bring  them 
out  to  the  sub-consciousness  and  we  actually  see  them,  or  even  do  the 


316 


HYPNOTISM,  FOETUNE  TELLING,  ETC. 


forbidden  thing.  Our  worries  are  put  an  end  to  in  dreams  through  the 
same  process.  A  man  thinks  of  a  problem  and  can  not  solve  it,  but  in 
a  dream  he  solves  it  completely.  The  mind  keeps  on  Avorking  when 
the  senses  are  asleep. 

Nearly  eAmrything  on  earth  or  visible  in  the  heavens  has  been  used 
for  divination,  and  while  we  can  believe  in  the  future  life  as  a  great 
mystery,  since  nobody  has  ever  returned  to  tell  us  about  them,  we 
should  remember  that  we  can  not  solve  them  by  a  pack  of  cards,  a 
dream  book,  or  by  consulting  a  fortune  teller — the  future  is  in  the 
hands  of  God,  and  some  day  we  shall  know,  but  not  now. 


THE  HOME  IS  GOD’S  TRAINING 

SCHOOL 


The  Mother’s  World  of  Knowledge— The  Care  and  Man¬ 
agement  of  Children — Instructions  on  How  to  Train 
Your  Sons  and  Daughters  for  the  Responsible  Duties 
of  Life  and  the  Duties  Also  of  Children  to  Their 
Parents. 

MOTHER 

‘The  mother  in  her  office,  holds  the  key 

Of  the  soul;  and  she  it  is  who  stamps  the  coin 

Of  character,  and  makes  the  being  who  would  be  a  savage 

But  for  her  gentle  cares,  a  Christian  mani 

Then  crown  her  queen  of  the  world.” 


Mother:  What  other  word  awakens  such  tender  emotions  within 
our  breasts?  What  other  word  has  such  power  over  the  strong  and  the 
weak  alike?  What  other  word  carries  with  it  such  a  world  of  memor¬ 
ies,  ideality,  love?  Mother,  whoever  and  wherever  you  are,  do  you 
know  that  you  are  the  strongest,  most  convincing  and  most  beloved 
personality  in  the  world?  Do  you  know  that  in  your  hands  lies  the 
vitality  of  the  race,  the  strength  of  the  nation,  and  the  success  of  the 
commercial  and  social  life  of  the  land  ?  You  stand  back  appalled.  You 
cannot  believe  it.  You  had  never  thought  yourself  of  so  much  im¬ 
portance.  You  did  not  know  the  world  had  its  eyes  on  you  hopefully 
and  fearfully.  You  thought  the  walls  of  your  home  shut  you  in,  that 
it  was  simple  duty  to  keep  the  house,  rear  the  children — Stop!  That 
is  it — rearing  the  children,  the  great  and  wonderful  mission  of  the  noble 
woman’s  life.  On  that  depends  the  welfare  of  the  state.  Your  sturdy 
little  boy,  sitting  placidly  by  your  side,  may  be  one  of  the  builders  of 

317 


318 


THE  HOME,  GOD’S  TRAINING  SCHOOL 


the  nation  in  tTventy  years.  He  will  have  life ’s  serious  responsibilities 
on  his  shoulders.  How  are  you  going  to  fit  him  for  that  time?  Have 
you  ever  realized  the  immense  importance  of  the  trust  imposed  upon 
you? 

THE  MOST  HOLY  OF  VOCATIONS. 

That  boy’s  future  is  in  your  hands.  His  manly  vigor  depends  on 
the  care  his  little  body  receives  in  childhood.  Do  you  know  how  to 
take  care  of  your  child’s  health?  His  strength  of  character,  his  ability 
to  stand  the  knocks  of  the  world,  depend  on  the  principles  you  instill 
into  his  little  brain.  Are  you  prepared  to  teach  him?  Have  you  been 
taught  how  to  be  a  successful  Mother?  If  you  have,  you  are  very  for¬ 
tunate.  We  have  training  schools  and  colleges  filled  with  expensive 
apparatus  to  fit  women  for  the  other  walks  of  life.  We  have  schools 
for  teachers,  stenographers,  dressmakers,  milliners,  and  even  doctors 
and  lawyers,  but  we  have  no  school  in  which  to  train  women  for  the 
most  serious,  most  real,  most  holy  vocation  of  their  lives — MOTHER¬ 
HOOD. 

FACING  THE  FACTS  OF  LIFE. 

The  sacred  institution  of  marriage  is  entered  into  thoughtlessly  or 
frivolously  or  shyly.  A  false  modesty,  if  not  ignorance,  on  the  part  of 
both  mother  and  daughter,  prevents  the  maid  from  facing  the  facts  of 
life  until  they  are  forced  upon  her  by  circumstances,  and  how,  then,  is 
she  prepared  to  meet  them  ?  She  is  not  prepared.  Instinct  enables  her 
to  go  through  her  duties  with  indifferent  success.  A  little  forethought, 
consideration  and  knowledge  would  save  her  much  of  the  mental  and 
physical  sutfering  that  she  has  come  to  look  upon  as  a  part  of  her 
estate.  The  young  mother,  however,  is  not  the  greatest  sufferer  from 
this  ignorance  of  the  principles  of  life.  The  helpless  offspring  is  the 
chief  claimant  for  our  sympathy  and  concern.  Too  frequently  the  child 
is  brought  into  the  world,  feeble  in  body,  weak  in  mind,  and  helpless  in 
spirit.  It  grows  up,  alike  unable  to  command  its  lawful  heritage  of 
health,  knowledge  and  power.  How  are  we  to  prevent  a  continuance  of 


THE  HOME,  GOD’S  TRAINING  SCHOOL 


819 


such  conditions?  How  can  you,  a  Mother,  produce  vigorous,  intelligent, 
forceful  children,  and  having  produced  them,  bring  them  up,  vigorous, 
intelligent,  forceful,  to  the  period  of  their  manhood  and  their  woman¬ 
hood?  Do  you  know  how  to  care  for  your  child  in  sickness  and  in 
health,  how  to  develop  its  mind  and  body,  how  to  create  an  environ¬ 
ment  that  will  best  promote  its  mental  and  physical  growth  ? 

If  not,  dear  Mother,  it  is  time  you  bent  your  energies  to  the  dis¬ 
covery.  Study.  Find  out.  It  is  not  too  late.  The  whole  field  of  child¬ 
training  is  full  of  stumbling  blocks,  full  of  problems  that  must  be 
solved. 

Did  you  ever  consider  how  much  more  motherhood  is  than  merely 
the  state  of  being  a  mother,  or  that  of  a  woman  who  has  borne  a  child? 
The  birds  of  the  forests,  the  beasts  of  the  field,  all  the  animal  world, 
in  fact,  perform  the  functions  of  reproduction  and  their  young  are  bom 
in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  nature. 

THE  INSTINCT  OF  MOTHERHOOD 

Nature  has  given  mere  animals  the  instinct  to  protect  and  feed  their 
young  and  it  is  well  known  that  they  will  fight  to  the  death  for  their 
offspring.  They  will  deprive  themselves  of  food  that  their  young  may 
be  saved  from  starvation,  and  they  will  suffer  exposure  of  every  kind 
to  keep  them  warm  and  sheltered.  This  is  mere  animal  instinct  with 
which  the  human  mother  is  also  provided,  but  as  the  Creator  has  en¬ 
dowed  humanity  with  more  exquisite  faculties  and  a  spark  of  divinity, 
and  so  has  He  given  us  much  more  responsibility.  We  are  endowed 
with  a  mental  and  spiritual  being  the  ordinary  animal  does  not  possess. 

The  human  mother  must  answer  to  her  Creator  and  give  an  ac¬ 
counting  of  her  stewardship.  It  is  not  only  her  duty  to  know  the 
anatomy  of  her  child  and  the  use  of  every  principal  physical  organ, 
that  she  may  guard  its  bodily  health,  but  to  study  its  mental  make-up 
and  care  for  its  spiritual  welfare. 

The  young  bird  is  hatched  and  in  a  few  weeks  takes  wing  to  care 


320 


THE  HOME,  GOD’S  TRAINING  SCHOOL 


for  itself.  The  young  colt  or  calf  can  stand  on  its  wabbly  legs  the  first 
day  or  so  and  soon  learns  to  care  for  itself. 

Not  so  with  the  human  child  who,  intended  for  a  longer  life,  more 
mental  and  spiritual,  is  naturally  of  slower  development  and  practically 
helpless  for  nearly  the  first  three  years  of  its  life. 

Do  you  know  how  wonderfully  God  has  made  your  child ! 

Are  you  aware  of  the  functions  performed  by  the  different  organs  ? 

Do  you  know  by  what  process  the  food  is  digested  in  its  little 
stomach? 

Do  you  know  how  the  blood  is  pumped  through  its  little  heart  ? 

How  the  air  is  filtered  through  the  lungs  ? 

Do  you  understand  how  poisons  are  thrown  off  through  the  millions 
of  little  pores  in  the  skin? 

The  work  of  the  kidneys  ? 

The  action  of  the  liver? 

The  construction  and  expansion  of  its  muscles? 

What  do  you  know  of  its  nervous  system,  that  can  so  easily  cause 
the  child  to  cry  or  laugh  or  sleep,  etc.,  etc.? 

These  are  only  a  few  simple  and  quite  ordinary  questions  but  there 
are  many  more. 

If  a  friend  gave  you  an  ordinary  present  you  would  examine  it 
carefully  to  see  how  it  was  made  and  would  give  it  close  inspection, 
would  you  not? 


A  HUMAN  SOUL 

God  has  given  you  the  greatest  gift  in  the  world,  a  child;  He  has 
placed  in  your  keeping  not  only  a  human  body,  but  A  HUMAN  SOUL ! 

It  is  a  sacred  trust  to  be  sacredly  fulfilled,  and  the  thought  of  this 
trust  brings  comfort  to  the  mother, — to  be  of  such  value  to  the  world. 
As  a  mother,  you  attain  your  highest  rank — the  maker  of  mankind. 

All  progress  of  the  human  race  toward  better  living;  all  moral  and 
refining  agencies  have  depended  upon  the  mothers  of  humanity.  She  it 
is,  through  her  suffering,  her  constant  self-denials  and  her  privations, 


THE  HOME,  GOD’S  TRAINING  SCHOOL 


321 


brings  into  the  world  the  future  rulers  of  coming  generations  and  the 
mothers  of  these  rulers. 

Our  noble-hearted  president,  Abraham  Lincoln,  owed  everything  to 
the  teachings  of  a  true  Christian  mother.  Hers  was  a  life  of  poverty 
and  privation,  but  through  it  all  she  taught  her  little  “Abe”  the  lessons 
of  truth  and  honor  which  have  ever  endeared  him  to  the  hearts  of  his 
countrymen. 


A  GOOD  MOTHER 

“Show  me  a  good  man  and  I  will  show  you  a  good  mother,”  rings 
true  in  almost  every  case.  It  is  because  the  mother,  far  more  than  the 
father,  influences  the  action  and  conduct  of  the  child,  that  her  good 
example  is  of  so  much  greater  importance  in  the  home.  It  is  easy  to 
understand  why  this  should  be  so.  The  home  is  the  woman’s  domain — 
her  kingdom,  where  she  exercises  entire  control.  Her  power  over  the 
little  subjects  she  rules  there  is,  or  should  be,  absolute.  The  directing 
influence  which  every  mother  exercises  over  her  children  throughout 
life  never  ceases.  When  launched  into  the  world,  each  to  take  part  in 
its  labors,  anxieties  and  trials,  they  still  turn  to  their  mother  for  con¬ 
solation,  if  not  for  counsel,  in  their  times  of  trouble  and  difficulties. 
The  pure  and  good  thoughts  she  has  implanted  in  their  minds  when 
children  continue  to  develop  and  induce  the  performance  of  good  acts 
long  after  she  is  dead.  When  there  is  nothing  but  a  memory  of  her 
left,  her  children  rise  up  and  call  her  blessed. 

Not  all  the  days  of  the  mother  will  be  full  of  bliss.  At  times  her  life 
will  be  full  of  brightness  and  joyousness.  Again,  she  sinks  to  the 
depths  of  despondency  over  the  consciousness  of  the  task  regarding  her 
dear  ones.  And  to  attempt  to  trace  the  responsibility  through  all  the 
life  that  lies  before  her  is  overwhelming  if  she  has  not  learned  to  feel 
that  ‘  ‘  as  her  day  so  shall  her  strength  be.  ’  ’ 

These  words  are  a  most  inspiring  promise  and  to  most  mothers  it 
is  fulfilled  with  constant  reassurance.  The  strength  is  given  her,  and 
the  reward  with  it. 

21— L  S 


322 


THE  HOm,  GOD’S  TRAINING  SCHOOL 


THE  SWEETEST  SOUND  TO  WOMAN 

An  earnest  and  devoted  mother  will  always  be  proud  of  the  babe 
God  sees  fit  to  give  her.  Be  it  the  first  or  the  tenth,  that  gurgle  which 
means  life  is  the  sweetest  sound  that  ever  falls  on  a  woman’s  ear.  It 
means  that  she  is  the  possessor  of  a  jewel  far  more  precious  than  rubies. 

A  story  is  told  of  a  woman  who  was  the  wife  of  a  Roman  by  the 
name  of  Gracchus.  One  morning  an  acquaintance  dropped  in  for  a 
formal  call.  She  had  many  beautiful  and  valuable  jewels  on  her  per¬ 
son,  of  which  she  was  very  proud.  After  showing  them  to  this  good 
wife,  and  praising  their  lustre,  the  visitor  asked  if  she  had  not  jewels, 
too!  “Yes,”  said  the  wife  of  Gracchus,  “I  have,”  and,  leaving  the 
room,  quickly  returned,  leading  by  the  hands  her  littl^^^  »Qns.  “These,” 
she  said,  “are  my  jewels.” 

THE  RICHEST  OF  JOYS 

Mother!  You  may  also  possess  a  little  jewel,  your  little  one  whom 
you  fondly  clasp  to  your  breast;  who  must  still  cling  to  you  for  its  very 
existence.  Or  perhaps  your  child  has  grown  into  the  bright-eyed, 
romping  school-boy  or  school-girl.  Perchance  your  children  have  left 
the  home  where  their  childhood  was  spent  and  are  now  taking  their 
places  in  the  world  with  their  fellow-beings.  Whichever  case  it  may 
be,  be  thankful.  There  is  no  richer  joy  than  lives  in  that  home  of  yours. 
Don’t  fret  if  it  is  not  pretentious.  Don’t  grieve  if  your  children  do  not 
wear  the  best  grade  of  clothes.  Just  be  thankful  and  rejoice  that  you 
still  have  them  living;  that  you  can  still  implant  a  kiss  on  their  warm 
lips;  that  you  can  still  entwine  your  arms  around  their  necks  and  that 
you  still  can  take  them  by  the  hand  and  call  them  by  the  fond  name  of 
son  or  daughter. 

If  a  mother  would  only  have  this  thought  when  stormy  days  ar¬ 
rive  and  say  to  herself:  “These  children  certainly  do  weary  me  at 
times,  but  they  are  still  with  me;  what  would  life  be  without  them?” 
Let  me  say,  tender  mother,  your  life  would  be  nothing  without  them. 


THE  HOME,  GOD’S  TRAINING-SCHOOL 


323 


You  would  be  robbed  of  your  greatness  and  your  blessing.  You  would 
put  in  an  existence  of  a  dull  and  aching  void. 

Do  you  happen  to  know  a  childless  couple?  If  so,  take  a  peep  into 
their  home.  The  surroundings  may  be  verj^  beautiful  and  comfortable, 
but  the  true  comfort,  the  love  of  a  little  child,  is  sadly  wanting  there. 
Can  you  not  recognize  the  soul’s  hunger?  Can  you  not  scent  the  heart¬ 
felt  longings?  They  are  to  be  pitied:  the  woman  more  than  the  man. 

There  is  no  denying  the  fact  that  a  woman  gets  her  greatest  joy 
in  “motherhood.”  It  brings  out  all  the  highest  emotions  latent  within 
her.  It  elevates  and  ennobles  her  and  gives  to  her  that  supreme  con¬ 
tent  which  only  those  who  have  been  mothers  can  experience.  Nothing 
can  be  compared  to  the  love  of  a  child.  Never,  to  a  woman,  can  this 
thought  come  too  often.  Let  each  day  find  you  thankful  that  God 
thought  you  fit  to  be  the  mother  of  another  little  life,  on  whose  soul 
your  thoughts  and  aims  will  leave  their  impress.  Not  one  particle  of 
this  sweet  power  should  you  hold  lightly  or  misuse. 

And  all  the  foregoing  pages  are  only  messengers  of  the  reverence 
and  esteem  in  which  you  are  held,  both  by  your  children  and  your 
friends.  You  may  not  think  it,  but  you  stand  next  to  God  himself. 
God  is  the  creator,  you  the  producer  of  mankind,  and  in  His  supreme 
judgment  He  made  you  a  mother — “the  holiest  thing  alive.”  No  hu¬ 
man  being  can  approach  nearer  Divinity  than  the  mother.  That  is  the 
reason  you  love  your  child  with  such  never-dying  love  which  lasts 
throughout  this  life  and  far  beyond — into  eternity. 


HOME  THE  HEART  OF  THE  NATION 


The  greatest  poets  of  all  times  have  sung  of  the  Home,  the  greatest 
orators  have  described  in  glowing  words  its  beauty  and  sweetness  and 
influence  upon  the  world  for  good.  But  who  could  do  full  justice  to 
the  theme?  It  is  beyond  expression.  The  home  is,  practically,  every¬ 
thing.  Since  civilization  began  thousands,  even  millions,  of  the  in¬ 
vaded  and  struggling  have  died  for  it,  because,  with  the  home  gone, 
all  that  lifts  humanity  above  the  beasts  is  gone.  The  home,  with  what 
it  shelters  and  what  it  means,  is  the  sum  of  all  we  have  on  earth.  Did 
you  ever  think  of  that?  It  is  all  because  it  contains  the  whole  of  what 
makes  our  lives  worth  living.  It  includes  the  love  of  man  and  woman, 
the  love  of  children,  the  comforts  and  amenities  of  life,  and  is  the  cita¬ 
del  for  their  preservation  and  development.  It  is  the  birthplace  of  all 
that  may  be  done  for  increasing  the  happiness  of  human  beings. 


THE  HOME,  THE  BASIS  OF  CIVILIZATION 

Without  the  home  we  should  be  like  the  wandering  mindless  ani¬ 
mals  of  the  plain  and  forest.  With  the  establishment  of  an  abode  of  his 
own,  countless  ages  ago,  primitive  man  departed  from  the  beasts. 
From  the  time  when  he  first  secured  a  place  of  refuge,  where,  unappre¬ 
hensive  and  undismayed,  he  could  have  his  kind  about  him  in  work 
or  play  or  council,  he  began  to  broaden  into  the  being  he  is  now.  Closer 
and  more  constant  relationship  brought  more  affection  for  mate  and 
children,  the  sense  of  obligation  grew;  ideas  more  often  interchanged 
suggested  new  departures  in  a  thousand  ways;  humankind  was  rising 
in  the  scale  above  the  life  about  it.  The  home,  with  all  its  phases  and 
with  what  it  promised  and  provided  for,  became  the  foundation  of  the 

324 


HOME  THE  HEAET  OF  THE  NATION 


325 


structure  we  now  call  civilization.  It  is  so  in  the  evolution  of  today, 
from  the  snow  hut  of  the  Eskimo  to  the  palace  on  the  boulevard. 

GOOD  HOMES  MAKE  GOOD  CITIZENS 

We  think  and  speak  with  a  degree  of  respect  or  reverence  of  our 
halls  of  legislation  and  our  churches,  hut  they  are  nothing  in  compari¬ 
son  with  the  roof  and  walls  within  which  is  the  home.  They  are  merely 
the  expression,  not  the  force.  In  the  home  is  the  origin  of  church  and 
capital  alike.  It  supplies  the  life  blood  to  what  is  best  in  the  impulses 
and  actions  of  mankind  and  what,  as  the  years  grow,  is  becoming  better 
still.  It  is  the  heart  of  the  family,  the  community,  the  heart  of  the 
nation,  and  the  world. 

It  matters  not  what  manner  of  place  the  home  may  be  or  where 
it  may  be  found,  so  long  as  it  be  healthful  in  every  sense  to  which  the 
word  applies,  healthful  physically  and  in  its  mental  atmosphere.  Ex¬ 
teriors  count  but  little.  The  house  is  one  thing  and  the  home  another. 
There  may  exist  within  the  narrow  confines  of  a  prairie  dug-out  a 
greater  real  home  than  in  a  brownstone  mansion  in  the  city.  It  is  the 
manner  of  thought  and  action  and  living  of  its  occupants  which  may 
give  the  place  its  grandeur  and  its  worthiness.  Those  who  control  the 
world’s  affairs  and  direct  them  for  good  or  evil,  as  the  case  may  be, 
come  from  all  birth  and  rearing-places.  How  vast,  then,  the  responsi¬ 
bility  placed  upon  earnest,  hopeful,  thinking  and  capable  men  and 
women, — the  great  ones  of  the  earth — of  seeking  everywhere  to  make 
the  home’s  conditions  what  they  should  be.  It  is  the  most  essential 
thing  in  the  world,  the  field  for  accomplishment  of  tremendous  good, 
extending  through  all  time! 

GROWTH  OF  HOME  IMPULSE 

For  the  development  of  all  things  that  exist  must  be  a  force,  and 
the  elemental  force  that  first  made  the  home  is  now  the  same  as  it  was 
in  the  beginning.  It  is  the  force  which  makes  the  world  go  round  and 


326 


HOME  THE  HEAET  OF  THE  NATION 


whicli,  primarily,  impels  all  movements  wliicli  are  good.  It  is  no  sen¬ 
timental  way  of  expressing  it, — often  as  the  word  has  been  perverted 
from  its  greatest  meaning, — that  force  is  simply  Love.  Not  for  himself 
alone  did  the  Cave  Man  select  his  hard  refuge  and  roll  the  stones 
against  its  entrance  nightly  to  keep  out  the  wild  beasts;  not  with  re¬ 
gal’d  for  his  own  comfort  and  well-being  alone  did  he  range  the  forest 
in  search  of  food  to  bring  to  that  same  citadel  and  shelter.  There  was 
a  finer  and  more  noble  impulse  moved  him,  regard  for  his  mate  and 
children.  What  it  was  and  what  its  nature  he  may  not  have  under¬ 
stood,  but  it  was  there,  implanted  by  God.  It  was  something  which  had 
to  grow,  as  is  ordained  in  the  great  scheme  for  man’s  advancement.  It 
may  have  been  only  what  we  call  attachment  then,  affection  in  later 
ages,  but  it  was  love  in  one  of  its  forms  and  in  the  best  manifestation 
it  can  ever  find,  the  preservation  of  the  home,  with  all  that  it  implies. 
The  application  is  right  today,  not  merely  to  the  husband  and  father  or 
other  natural  protector,  but  to  all  who  rank  among  the  workers  for  the 
general  welfare.  As  the  world  has  grown  so  has  the  field  of  obligation 
extended. 

LOVE  THE  DIVINE  FORCE  IN  THE  HOME 

This  love  which  is  the  promotive  idea  for  all  that  is  for  good, 
whether  from  God  or  man,  whether  in  the  warmth  of  the  sun  or  in  sac¬ 
rifice  and  labor,  is  what  actuates  alike  the  father  and  the  mother  and 
those  who  are  working  for  the  general  good.  Save  that  we  know  it  to 
be  the  greatest  and  best  of  forces,  we  can  give  no  perfect  definition  of 
it.  What  attempts  have  been  made  must  fail  to  do  it  justice,  because 
the  human  mind  can  rise  to  but  a  certain  height  in  its  expression.  Well 
has  it  been  said  that  love  is  the  wind,  the  tide,  the  sunshine,  for  these 
come  from  it  in  reality  as  well  as  imagery.  Its  power  is  beyond  all 
estimation.  ‘‘It  never  ceases,  it  never  slacks;  it  can  move  with  the 
globe  without  a  resting-place;  it  can  warm  without  fire;  it  can  feed 
without  meat ;  it  can  clothe  without  garments ;  it  can  shelter  without  a 
roof;  it  can  make  a  paradise  within  which  will  dispense  with  a  paradise 
without.”  We  know  that  it  can  do  all  this,  for  we  see  and  know  and 


HOME  THE  HEAET  OF  THE  NATION 


327 


every  human  heart  is  made  to  feel  it.  The  direction  of  this  great  force 
is  largely  within  our  own  power — we  recognize  that  as  well, — and  it 
remains  for  us  to  apply  it  constantly  in  making  life  more  perfect. 

True  it  is  that  much  has  already  been  accomplished  in  the  direction 
indicated.  The  love  power,  originating  in  the  home  and  thence  extend¬ 
ing  as  humanity  developed  in  intelligence  and  kindliness,  has  been  the 
moving  force  in  all  advancement,  but  only  the  beginning  is  yet  seen. 
The  family  life  will  become  even  a  more  wonderful  thing  than  it  has 
been  in  the  past.  As  in  the  world  of  physics,  where  the  secrets  of  na¬ 
ture  are  now  being  revealed  as  they  never  were  before,  so  in  the  world 
of  home  will  come  new  understandings  and  conceptions  and  the  human 
being  will  be  better  influenced  and  nourished  and  directed  from  the 
very  cradle,  and  fitted  for  the  broader  life  awaiting  him  or  her.  There 
are  reversals  for  the  moment,  but  the  world  is  comprehending  as  it 
never  did  before. 


UTILIZING  THE  FORCES  OF  NATURE 

Just  as  until  recently  we  have  not  known  how  to  command  the 
material  forces  of  nature,  save  in  a  limited  degree,  and  are  now  begin¬ 
ning  to  understand  and  utilize  them,  so  will  we  utilize  the  knowledge 
which  has  come  to  us  of  how  to  make  life  from  its  beginning  something 
new  and  different  and  better.  We  have  conquered  the  air,  and  hence¬ 
forth  it  must  be  one  of  our  highways;  we  have  found  the  ether  paths 
for  electricity,  and  now  we  talk  through  space  above  the  wilderness 
and  ocean;  we  have  discovered  the  disease  germs  and  the  means  of 
baffling  some  of  them  by  sanitation,  thus  prolonging  the  span  of  life; 
all  this  and  more  we  have  achieved  and  gained  within  a  time  so  brief 
that  we  know  the  world  is  only  at  the  threshold  of  its  conquests,  yet 
we  know  that  there  is  yet  to  come  in  its  entirety  the  greatest  of  all,  a 
new  conception  of  the  duty  and  a  new  conception  of  the  methods  of 
caring  and  providing  for  each  other. 

In  old  times,  indeed,  almost  up  to  the  present  day,  the  home  has 
depended  for  its  making  entirely  upon  forces  from  inside,  the  provi¬ 
dence  and  oversight  of  the  father  and  the  solicitude  and  guidance  of 


328 


HOME  THE  HEAET  OF  THE  NATION 


the  mother,  but  now  comes  an  added  helpful  element  in  the  general 
comprehension  of  what  the  home  is  to  the  community  as  a  whole  and 
of  the  fact  that  its  protection  and  well-being  has  become  an  admitted 
public  duty.  The  public  servant,  the  legislator,  must  do  Ms  part. 

No  maxim  is  sounder  than  the  one  which  says  that  in  great  things 
we  must  begin  at  the  beginning,  and  never  does  it  apply  with  greater 
force  and  truthfulness  than  to  the  making  of  the  generations.  It  fits 
the  individual  case  and  the  whole  of  humankind.  Parents  who  rear 
their  children  wisely  need  have  no  fear  of  the  advancing  years ;  nations 
which  care  for  the  welfare  of  their  infants  need  not  lack  reliance  upon 
their  men  and  women.  The  personal  guidance,  the  earliest  direction, 
the  formation  of  habits  and  of  character,  devolve  upon  the  parents; 
later  education,  provision  for  the  general  health  and  the  quality  of 
youth’s  environments,  these,  in  this  age  of  increasing  mutual  assist¬ 
ance,  devolve  largely  upon  the  community’s  representatives.  We  are 
learning  what  is  the  best  investment  of  human  effort,  and  home¬ 
making,  directly  or  indirectly,  has  become  a  responsibility  of  state  as 
well  as  of  the  individual. 

The  home  is  the  thing !  Let  the  home  be  all  right  and  life  outside 
will  take  care  of  itself.  Let  the  home  be  right  and  its  occupants,  young 
and  old,  are  among  the  fortunate  ones  of  the  earth,  as  they  are  among 
those  who  are  most  contributing  to  advancement  in  all  things.  Some 
wise  man  has  said  that  “to  Adam,  Paradise  was  a  home;  to  the  good 
among  his  descendants  home  is  a  paradise.”  It  has  become  even  a 
greater  paradise,  for  now  it  has  become  the  home  in  its  greatest  aspect, 
the  developing  place  of  the  Child. 


THE  CHILD  IS  THE  COMING 

MAN 


Very  early  in  life,  the  child  begins  to  show  evidence  of  will  power. 
It  has  not  learned  to  talk;  indeed,  it  may  be  only  a  few  weeks  old  when 
the  observant  mother  may  notice  manifestations  of  a  definite  desire.  A 
long,  lusty  cry  is  the  only  means  of  expression  known  to  the  unde¬ 
veloped  baby,  and  of  this  he  makes  the  best  possible  use.  The  mother 
rushes  to  his  side,  endeavoring  to  read  his  thoughts,  ascertain  his 
wishes,  and  still  his  cry.  The  baby  is  hungry,  perhaps,  and  the  un¬ 
worded  appeal  means,  “I  want  my  dinner  at  once,”  or  he  is  too  hot  or 
too  cold  or  otherwise  uncomfortable,  and  the  will  to  be  at  ease,  a  part 
of  the  will  to  live,  exhibits  itself  in  unintelligible  wails. 

If  the  mother  makes  any  mistake  and  offers  him  a  rattle  when  he 
wants  to  be  fed,  or  tries  to  feed  him  when  he  is  already  suffering  from 
indigestion,  he  soon  shows  his  condemnation  of  her  stupidity.  He 
throws  the  rattle  angrily  on  the  floor  or  turns  in  disgust  from  the  prof¬ 
fered  nourishment.  He  wants  what  he  wants,  and  nothing  else  will 
satisfy  him.  This  is  will.  Now  what  is  the  mother  going  to  do  when 
her  child  throws  his  rattle  angrily  upon  the  floor?  The  baby  is  little 
and  helpless,  but  here  is  a  trait  of  character  to  be  studied,  and  dealt 
with. 

THE  PLASTIC  INFANT  MIND 

How  is  she  going  to  teach  her  baby  to  be  patient?  It  is  ridiculous 
to  say  that  a  child  of  a  few  months  is  too  young  to  train.  The  infant 
is  plastic,  but  habits  are  fastening  themselves  upon  him.  He  will  do 
tomorrow  what  you  allow  him  to  do  today.  He  is  looking  for  you  to 
guide  him.  He  has  no  conception  of  the  proper  line  of  conduct  for  one 

329 


330 


THE  CHILD  IS  THE  COMING  MAN 


of  his  extreme  youth.  He  screams  to  be  fed,  or  soothed,  or  changed, 
and  he  must  be  made  comfortable  as  soon  as  possible.  It  is  the  mother’s 
duty  to  attend  to  his  demands  for  physical  ease.  The  very  young  child 
is  “good”  if  it  is  not  in  bodily  distress.  It  will  lie  quietly  in  its  crib, 
or  sit  in  its  mother’s  lap  and  coo.  The  irritations  rising  from  neglect 
of  its  legitimate  desires,  if  not  corrected,  will  spoil  its  temper  before  it 
is  a  year  old.  By  following  a  regular  program  of  feeding,  sleeping, 
bathing,  and  airing  as  suggested  in  another  chapter,  the  child  will 
know  what  he  is  to  expect  of  life  at  an  early  period  in  his  career.  His 
digestion,  moreover,  will  not  cause  him  any  nerrous  spasms  which  in¬ 
variably  tend  to  impatience  and  the  display  of  an  irritable  will.  The 
first  training,  then,  must  be  as  we  have  stated  before,  through  the 
physical  life,  for  although  the  mental  and  moral  sides  of  his  nature  are 
slowly  awakening,  they  are  still  too  dimly  conscious  to  be  recognized 
even  by  the  adoring  and  attentive  mother. 

THE  CHILD’S  SECOND  YEAR 

AVe  will  say  that  the  child  has  passed  his  first  year  successfully. 
The  mother  has  been  very  gentle  with  him,  has  controlled  herself  on 
every  occasion,  and  never  given  way  to  any  impatience  that  she  may 
have  felt.  He  has  grown  strong  in  the  use  of  his  limbs.  He  can  toddle 
a  few  steps,  and  say  a  few  words,  and  is  daily  making  experience  of 
discovery.  He  has  discovered  there  are  a  whole  lot  of  nice  things  he 
wants  to  have  and  wants  to  do  in  this  new  world  of  his.  He  has  also 
discovered  that  he  has  but  to  ciy  real  loud  and  make  a  great  noise  and 
lo,  the  things  he  wanted  are  his.  Yes,  anxious  mothers,  this  is  just 
what  happens  in  that  baby  mind  of  his  and  that  is  what  most  persons 
who  have  charge  of  a  baby  will  do — give  him  what  he  wants  to  keep 
him  quiet.  This  is  the  best  way  in  the  world  to  ruin  him. 

Most  of  the  wrong-doing  in  life  has  come  from  the  will  power  not 
being  trained  when  young.  Given  what  he  wanted  when  young,  a  child 
grows  up  with  this  same  desire  for  his  wishes  to  be  gratified.  What  is 
the  result?  Nothing  is  beneath  him  if  he  but  gets  his  own  way. 


THE  CHILD  IS  THE  COMING  MAN 


331 


WEAKNESS— PAYING  THE  PENALTY 

Now,  this  very  power  which  the  child  uses  was  one  of  the  best  gifts 
given  to  him  at  birth,  but  it  was  not  rightly  trained.  It  is  sad  indeed 
to  see  our  jails  and  reformatories  full  of  human  souls,  who  are  paying 
the  penalty  of  weak  wills.  Some  one  is  to  blame  for  these  wills.  As 
the  spinal  column  is  to  the  physical  structure,  the  will  power  is  to  moral 
nature.  All  humanity  are  born  alike.  Most  babies  are  healthy.  None 
were  born  “thieves”  or  “liars.”  They  were  made  such  from  their  sur¬ 
roundings  and  early  training.  Do  you  know  that  you  can  raise  a  child 
to  be  a  criminal  by  loving  him  too  much?  This  is  true.  Not  all  the 
evil  done  by  criminals  is  done  through  evil  hearts.  Many  have  tender 
hearts,  but  their  will  had  never  been  directed  right,  and  so  in  time  of 
temptation  they  fell.  Don’t  forget  the  saying,  “A  brain  that  can  re¬ 
ceive  a  right  impression,  is  also  capable  of  a  wrong  one.” 

In  training  a  high  spirited  child  you  must  not  break  his  will.  Let 
him  keep  it.  He  will  need  it.  It  will  be  his  greatest  weapon  in  the 
coming  battle  of  life.  Yes,  he  must  retain  it,  but  the  mother  must 
gently  but  firmly  lead  him  to  see  the  right  and  the  wrong  way  of  using 
this  weapon.  The  child  will  grow  to  manhood  and  will  have  to 
“choose”  life’s  way.  Now  the  will  is  that  which  teaches  him  the  free¬ 
dom  and  danger  of  his  own  choice.  He  may  know  which  way  he  should 
go — that  is  conscience — but  the  way  he  takes  is  the  will  power  which 
is  the  lever  that  moves  all  action  in  life. 

IGNORE  INFANT  OUTBREAKS 

Your  baby  may  have  frequent  outbreaks  of  temper.  These  are 
natural  in  a  child  of  strong  will.  You  will  find  if  his  desires  are 
thwarted,  his  cries  and  the  noise  he  makes  will  be  in  proportion  to  his 
desires.  Don’t  notice  these  outbreaks.  Just  treat  them  with  serene 
indifference.  Let  him  decidedly  understand  which  is  master — he  or 
you.  Leave  him  absolutely  alone  to  spend  himself  and  recover  at  his 
leisure.  After  he  has  repeated  this  a  number  of  times,  he  will  quickly 


332 


THE  CHILD  IS  THE  COMING  ISIAN 


recognize  your  authority  and  will  think,  “This  doesn’t  pay,”  and 
linally  renounce  his  fits  of  passion.  It  will  seem  hard  at  first  to  hear 
his  paroxysms  of  grief — doubly  hard  to  you,  fond  mother,  who  loves 
your  darling  so  covetously.  This  will  be,  however,  so  valuable  a  lesson 
to  him  and  such  a  help  to  you  that  you  must  not  forfeit  the  good  for  a 
little  inconvenience.  There  is  no  more  important  side  of  the  “moral 
nature”  than  the  will.  Having  this  under  control,  you  are  laying  the 
foundation  stone  of  all  character. 

TRAINING  THE  STRONG  WILLED  CHILD 

Should  a  child  refuse  to  perform  an  act  required  of  him  and  you 
find  it  is  from  sheer  wilfulness,  he  should  be  forced  to  do  the  thing  bid¬ 
den  him.  This  will  save  much  future  work,  for,  if  he  feels  that  he  has 
gotten  out  of  his  task  once,  why  not  again?  Should  a  child  insist  on 
doing  something  which  he  knows  he  has  no  right  to,  spare  no  pains 
(barring  whipping)  to  prevent  him  from  obtaining  his  ends.  These 
strong  willed  children  need  delicate  handling.  They  have  to  be  man¬ 
aged.  Tact  and  diplomacy  on  the  mother’s  part  will  aid  much  in  the 
ultimate  end.  Up  until  the  “will”  is  under  control  of  the  child,  we 
would  advise  a  mother  to  do  all  in  her  power  to  avoid  the  provoking  of 
ill  nature.  A  little  foreseeing  and  studying  of  the  child’s  disposition 
will  do  much  more  good,  than  any  method  of  quelling  disturbances. 

GUARD  AGAINST  SELFISHNESS 

Children  after  all  are  mostly  reasonable  creatures  and  if  rightly 
managed  can  be  relied  upon.  Never  promise  a  reward,  or  bribe  a  high- 
spirited  child.  This  is  very  wrong  and  makes  permanent  trouble. 
Teach  your  child  to  do  the  thing  bidden  him,  because  it  is  right,  not 
because  he  expects  some  recompense  for  doing  it.  If  this  occurs  often, 
his  whole  life  will  be  colored  with  the  idea  of  gain.  A  clever  child  will 
reason  to  himself,  “What  do  I  get  out  of  this?”  If  he  sees  no  returns 
he  at  once  shirks  and  becomes  one  of  those  characters  who  will  do 


THE  CHH^D  IS  THE  COMING  MAN 


333 


nothing  except  he  ‘  ‘  has  to.  ’  ’  Let  a  child  know  what  is  required  of  him. 
Make  every  effort  to  strengthen  his  will.  If  not,  you  are  planting 


“Tliorns,  not  roses. 

For  your  reaping  by  and  by.” 

Reason  plays  an  important  part  in  the  governing  of  will  power,  so 
don’t  worry  if  your  child  is  hard  to  manage  for  the  first  three  years. 
After  this  the  brain  becomes  more  developed — and  although  the  brain 
controls  the  body — will  controls  the  brain,  so  we  see  the  will  working 
through  that  mental  quality,  “reason.”  The  will  was  there  at  birth 
while  reason  was  a  little  longer  in  coming,  but  when  it  came  it  brought 
a  great  benefactor  to  his  little  master. 

BEGINNING  THE  FIRST  SCHOOL  DAYS 

When  children  start  to  school — which  is  their  first  real  entrance 
into  the  world — they  will  daily  encounter  problems,  trials  and  tempta¬ 
tions  appearing  as  difficult  as  ours.  The  school-boy  will  be  confronted 
with  situations  that  will  call  forth  his  will  power.  Ned  meets  Alfred 
coming  home  from  school.  It  is  a  very  hot  day  and  Ned  proposes  they 
go  swimming.  Now  Alfred  knows  his  mother  always  wants  him  to 
come  directly  home  from  school.  If  he  goes  home  he  knows  his  mother 
will  not  give  him  permission  to  go  swimming.  He  stops  and  considers. 
He  wants  so  much  to  plunge  into  the  cool,  sparkling  water.  Does  he 
go?  Not  if  he  has  his  will  under  control. 

Conscience  is  the  power  which  enables  us  to  know  whether  an  act 
is  right  or  wrong.  We  all  have  a  conscience.  Will  is  the  power  which 
decides  which  we  will  “choose” — the  right  or  the  wrong.  Teach  a 
child  early  to  stop  and  consider  every  action.  Never  let  him  act  on 
impulse.  Lots  of  misery  can  be  avoided  if  time  is  taken  to  let  the 
“will”  have  full  sway.  “An  ounce  of  formation  is  worth  a  ton  of  refor¬ 
mation.” 

It  is  hard  to  deny  a  child,  especially  if  it  lies  within  your  power  to 
grant  the  request.  But,  mother,  you  must  use  your  calm  judgment  and 


334 


THE  CHILD  IS  THE  COMING  MAN 


in  the  kindest  way  possible,  make  it  plain  that  yon  cannot  gratify  him. 
Do  not  get  in  the  habit  of  always  giving  a  reason  for  your  refusal. 
Just  say:  “I  think  it  best  for  you  that  you  should  not  do  thus  and 
so.  ’  ’  If  your  child  has  that  feeling  toward  you,  which  is  a  genuine  trust 
in  your  judgment,  you  will  not  find  much  opposition.  As  he  grows 
older  and  you  are  more  of  a  chum  than  a  dictator,  you  can  often  make 
quite  a  nice  little  chat  out  of  just  why  you  did  not  want  him  to  have 
some  cherished  desires,  and  it  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  both  to  have 
such  a  bond  between  you. 

COMPARING  “WILL”  AND  “TEMPER” 

So  many  confound  “will”  with  temper.  Your  boy  can  have  a  tre¬ 
mendous  temper  and  a  very  weak  will.  On  the  other  hand  your  girl 
can  have  a  very  strong  will  power  and  show  little  temper.  Then  again 
another  of  your  children  may  be  one  who  has  both  strong  temper  and 
strong  will  power  combined.  Strange,  this  combination,  if  rightly  gov¬ 
erned,  makes  the  most  energetic  and  useful  character  of  all.  We  find 
some  of  the  best  men  and  women  in  history  are  of  this  type. 

The  stronger  the  temper  the  greater  need  of  self-control.  The 
stronger  self-control,  the  greater  the  character,  and  the  greater  the 
character  the  greater  will  humanity  be  for  their  being  here.  These 
lines  by  W.  M.  Taylor  will  show  you  more  clearly  what  we  would  con¬ 
vey  than  any  words  of  ours:  “A  man’s  first  battle  is  with  himself,  and 
only  when  he  has  conquered  that  field  is  he  competent  to  lead  others.” 


THE  TRAINING  OF  CHILDREN 

The  Child  an  Imitator 


Imitation  is  the  basis  of  all  education;  it  is  instruction  through 
action.  Especially  so  is  this  in  the  ease  of  young  children.  The  tiny 
infant  lying  so  snugly  within  his  mother’s  aims,  knows  nothing  of  the 
“why  and  wherefore”  of  this  world.  It  is  content,  and  as  long  as  its 
physical  wants  are  looked  after,  it  matters  not.  Toward  the  ending 
of  the  first  year  it  begins  to  take  notice,  and  we  see  the  fond  mother 
teaching  her  darling  to  shake  bye-bye,  play  pat-a-cake,  and  to  throw 
a  kiss  from  his  tiny  fingers.  All  these  gestures  are  mere  imitations 
of  what  he  sees.  He  hasn’t  the  slightest  idea  of  the  meaning  of  it  all. 
Later  the  infant  will  imitate  the  noise  of  the  “bow-wow,”  the  “moo- 
cow”  and  he  will  do  his  best  to  “mew”  like  a  cat.  These,  too,  are 
imitations  of  what  he  hears  and  are  of  importance  in  its  development. 

An  interesting  story  is  told  of  a  young  mother  who  took  great 
pains  to  teach  her  first  little  one  to  lisp  “Da-Da”  at  the  approach  of 
its  father.  The  mother  succeeded  admirably  and  the  fond  father  never 
got  tired  of  hearing  his  little  one  utter  this  new  name  of  his.  What 
was  their  utter  dismay  when  one  day  a  despicable  looking  tramp  came 
to  the  door  and  the  little  one  insisted  in  holding  out  its  arms  to  him 
and  fondly  calling  him  “Da-Da.”  We  can  easily  see  that  the  early 
knowledge  of  a  child  is  an  imitation  of  what  he  sees  and  hears  and  you, 
watchful  mother,  must  always  keep  the  watchwords,  “what  he  sees” 
and  “what  he  hears”  ever  before  you,  and  let  it  be  the  keynote  of  all 
early  training. 

It  is  always  interesting  to  watch  children  at  play;  more  so  when 
they  are  playing  “house”  or  some  other  amusement  relative  to  home 
life.  Have  you  not  noticed  how  the  little  girl  will  assume  the  manner 

335 


336 


TliE  TRAINING  OF  CHILDREN 


and  actions  of  her  own  mother?  Supposedly,  the  “dolly”  has  been 
taken  suddenly  ill  and  the  doctor  has  been  sent  for.  It  is  a  most  criti¬ 
cal  case  and  the  little  boy  who  is  playing  doctor  will  knit  and  pucker 
up  his  brow  and  will  imitate  the  solemnity  and  dignity  of  the  pro¬ 
fessional  man  most  vividly.  He  even  tries  to  make  his  voice  lower 
and  gruffer  in  tone,  so  as  to  make  the  “doctor”  more  real.  Yes,  chil¬ 
dren  in  their  play  are  prime  representatives  of  realities  and  are  often 
good  teachers  in  some  respects,  for  they  are  not  only  good  imitators 
but  good  observers. 

CHILD'S  FUTURE  MOLDED  BY  EXAMPLE 

Everything  to  a  child  is  a  model  of  manner,  of  gesture,  of  speech, 
of  habit,  of  character.  Let  these  models  be  of  the  highest  type.  If 
we  would  have  fine  characters  we  must  necessarily  present  before 
children  fine  models.  The  model  the  child  constantly  has  in  his  mind’s 
eye  is  the  mother.  She  it  is  through  the  example  she  provides  who 
sets  the  standard  for  the  child’s  future.  The  child  comes  into  the 
world  with  its  plastic  mind  open  to  all  impressions  and  these  it  receives 
and  retains  by  outside  forces.  It  is  a  very  poor  plan  to  take  children 
to  a  theatre.  They  cannot  help  but  hear  and  see  things  which  will 
cause  them  often  to  imitate,  and  which  may  result  in  disaster. 

A  true  story  is  told  of  a  boy,  ten  years  old,  who  was  taken  by  his 
mother  to  see  a  show.  During  the  play  the  audience  was  treated  to  an 
exciting  domestic  quarrel  on  the  stage.  One  of  the  characters,  a  young 
boy,  was  supposed  to  protect  his  mother  by  shooting  an  intruder.  The 
boy  was  applauded  by  the  audience,  which  plainly  showed  they  con¬ 
sidered  him  a  hero.  Henry,  for  this  was  the  boy’s  name  who  was 
witnessing  the  play,  was  carried  away  with  all  that  he  saw  and  decided 
that  he,  too,  would  deal  likewise  to  anyone  who  would  harm  his  mother. 
Some  weeks  later  a  peddler  came  to  his  mother’s  house  and  insisted 
that  she  buy  some  of  his  wares.  She  told  him  she  didn ’t  care  for  any, 
but  the  peddler’s  voice  was  rather  loud  and  he  seemed  very  persistent. 
Henry,  hearing  it  all,  thought  the  time  had  come  to  imitate  the  actor’s 


THE  TRAINING  OF  CHILDREN 


337 


bravery.  He  turned  to  a  drawer,  took  his  father’s  pistol  and  without 
one  moment’s  reflection  shot  the  peddler,  but,  fortunately,  did  not  kill 
him.  This  plainly  shows  what  imitation  in  the  young  mind  can  lead  to. 

Example  is  far  better  than  precept.  In  the  face  of  bad  example, 
the  best  of  precepts  are  of  little  use.  Can  you  expect  a  child  who  con¬ 
stantly  sees  before  him  ignorance,  coarseness  and  selfishness,  to  grow 
up  anything  more  than  the  reflection  of  these  faults? 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a  child  brought  up  under  these  circum¬ 
stances  finds  himself,  in  adult  life,  placed  amidst  other  scenes.  He 
immediately  sees  the  difference  and  compares  his  training  to  those 
around  him.  If  he  is  ambitious  and  wants  to  change  his  mode  of  life, 
he  has  to  commence  all  over  again  his  work  of  imitation.  He  has 
reason  with  him  now  to  help  him,  yet  he  will  at  first  find  it  uphill  work; 
but  when  he  succeeds,  he  will  be  the  much  better  man.  Should  a  child 
when  he  reaches  adult  age  care  not  to  pluck  these  traits  from  his 
character,  he  becomes  at  once  a  rude,  dangerous  member  to  society 
and  a  grievance  to  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 

Too  much  care  cannot  be  taken  in  teaching  the  children  the  avoid¬ 
ance  of  sham.  This  must  especially  be  insisted  on  in  the  matter  of 
dress.  Most  all  of  us  are  fond  of  “fine  raiment,”  and  we  cannot  help 
but  feel  that  appearances  play  an  important  part  in  life.  It  must  be 
the  avoidance  of  imitating  of  finery  and  the  adoption  of  the  substantial 
in  dress,  that  we  must  teach  our  children. 

GLITTERING  IMITATIONS  A  SERIOUS  EVIL 

In  the  matter  of  dress,  girls  are  more  influenced  by  its  gi*andeur 
than  are  boys,  and  the  wise  mother  will  do  well  to  teach  her  daughter 
simplicity  in  everything.  Never  allow  her  to  wear  imitations  of  pre¬ 
cious  stones  or  jewelry.  This  is  not  only  bad  taste,  but  it  is  a  bad  habit 
to  form.  Many  a  poor  girl  has  fallen  from  grace  just  through  the 
love  of  glittering  baubles.  Teach  her  never  to  rouge  her  cheeks  or 
use  cosmetics.  If  Nature  has  not  given  her  a  perfect  complexion,  she 
can  never  get  it  by  imitation.  “You  can’t  cheat  Nature,”  but  you  can 

22—1,  S 


838 


THE  TRAINING  OF  CHILDREN 


aid  it.  Have  her  imitate  God’s  creatures  by  copying  cleanliness,  simple 
eating  and  regular  habits.  She  may  not  get  a  faultless  complexion — 
few  people  have  this  gift — but  she  can  get  that  soft  texture  of  skin, 
that  buoyancy  of  spirit,  that  brightness  of  eye  with  the  soul  showing 
through.  Let  these  be  her  models  and  the  imitation  will  be  of  real 
worth. 


GUIDANCE  IN  THE  RIGHT  DIRECTION 

While  the  imitation  of  dress  and  the  lighter  vanities  of  life  are 
more  indulged  in  by  the  girl,  the  boy  also  is  a  decided  imitator  in  other 
weaknesses.  A  boy  will  imitate  any  quality  which  he  thinks  manly. 
Would  that  the  points  they  imitate  deserved  this  name,  but  most  of 
the  things  they  copy  are  those  which  will  sooner  or  later,  make  slaves 
of  them.  How  early  we  see  the  tiny  tot  of  three  or  four  years  placing 
a  piece  of  stick  or  anything  which  resembles  a  cigar,  between  his  lips. 
Watch  him  puff  at  it;  see  him  imitate  the  strut  of  a  man.  This  some¬ 
times  appears  comical,  and  the  child  is  often  prevailed  upon  to  show 
how  clever  he  is.  Alas,  this  is  only  the  first  attempt  to  imitate  the 
manly  arts,  and  if  not  guided  in  the  right  direction  his  imitations  may 
become  a  tragedy  instead  of  a  comedy. 

By  imitation  of  acts  the  character  becomes  slowly  and  impercepti¬ 
bly,  but  at  length  decidedly  formed.  Do  not  think,  mother,  that  because 
your  child  is  young  it  cannot  judge.  In  this  you  are  greatly  mistaken. 
Children  are  very  clever  judges  and  especially  do  they  see  through 
any  inconsistency.  They  hear  you  say:  “You  mustn’t  do  thus  and  so.” 
What  do  you  think  is  in  their  childish  minds  when  they  discover  you 
doing  it?  Children  do  not  appreciate  the  motto  which  the  preacher 
gave  to  his  congregation:  “Do  as  I  say,  not  as  I  do.”  No,  indeed,  they 
follow  the  example.  The  precept  is  forgotten. 

The  habits,  which  are  our  constant  companions  and  followers 
through  life,  are  based  on  imitation.  If  good  habits  are  to  be  formed, 
childhood  is  the  time  to  plant  them.  You  cannot  begin  too  early.  The 
little  tot  who  sees  her  mother  throw  down  her  belongings  cannot  be 


THE  TRAINING  OF  CHILDREN 


389 


expected  to  take  care  of  her  playthings,  nor,  as  she  grows  up,  to  be 
neat  and  tidy.  Order  is  Heaven’s  first  law  and  the  successful  mother 
will  start  with  having  a  place  for  everything  and  have  everything  in 
its  place. 

GOOD  MANNERS  AND  SOCIAL  ETIQUETTE 

The  demeanor  of  a  child  is  also  a  vast  reflector  of  home  training. 
You  cannot  always  teach  morals  by  imitation,  but  you  can  the  custom 
of  manners  and  social  etiquette.  In  the  primitive  appetites  of  eating 
and  drinking,  imitation  is  a  very  strong  force.  How  easily  a  little 
child  will  imitate  the  smacking  of  lips  after  some  article  of  diet  espe¬ 
cially  enjoyed.  How  easily  he  comes  to  use  his  knife  in  conveying 
food  to  his  mouth,  if  he  has  seen  this  performance.  How  anxious  he  is 
to  rush  from  the  table  as  soon  as  he  has  finished  eating.  These,  and 
many  other  breaches  of  good  manners,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  come  as  a 
result  of  seeing  others  do  likewise. 

It  is  our  duty  to  read  up  on  all  manners  and  customs  of  etiquette. 
The  mother  must  acquaint  herself  with  all  its  details;  then  your  child 
will  be  a  credit  as  well  as  a  joy  to  his  parents. 

One  of  the  best  illustrations  of  the  power  of  imitation  is  in  the 
way  the  deaf  are  taught.  The  natural  way  of  speaking  any  language 
is  by  hearing;  by  trying  to  imitate  the  sounds  which  are  made.  In  the 
case  of  the  deaf,  they  learn  their  expression  of  thought  through  imita¬ 
tion  entirely,  the  lips  and  gestures  of  the  hands  and  fingers  being  the 
only  source  of  communication. 

We  have  learned  that  imitation  is  the  sincerest  form  of  flattery. 
So  long  as  this  imitation  is  of  sterling  value,  let  us  all  become  flatterers. 
Let  us  flatter  Love,  which  lightens  labor.  Let  us  flatter  Care  by  crown¬ 
ing  and  beautifying  its  rugged  and  repellant  features.  Let  us  all 
endeavor  to  flatter  the  serenity  of  Life  by  being  constantly  on  the  out¬ 
look  for  the  foes  without  and  the  foes  within — the  “little  foxes  that 
seek  to  destroy  the  vines.” 


GIVE  YOUR  BOYS  AND  GIRLS  THE 
OPPORTUNITY  TO  DEVELOP 
THEIR  TRUE  NATURES 


The  child  must  be  encouraged  to  unfold.  Its  thoughts,  its  ideas, 
its  method  of  carrying  out  its  ideas,  its  instincts  and  intuitions,  in  a 
word,  its  genius  must  be  brought  forward,  never  suppressed.  If  the 
ideas  are  wild,  the  play  rough,  the  instincts  perverse  and  the  child  is 
unruly,  the  mother  must  seek  ways  to  direct  them. 

How  can  you  judge  the  workings  of  that  mind  and  soul?  Yqu  must 
study  your  little  one’s  motives,  in  order  to  pass  a  sentence  on  the  act 
he  has  committed.  If  your  boy  is  noisy,  rough,  pugnacious,  you  may 
lay  it  to  a  surplus  of  nervous  energy  that  has  no  proper  outlet. 

He  is  ungovernable  perhaps,  neither  you  nor  his  father  nor  the 
teacher  at  school  can  manage  him.  What  are  you  going  to  do?  His 
father  whips  him,  but  the  youth  is  India  rubber — he  rebounds.  The 
rod  has  not  reached  his  inner  consciousness.  The  teacher  keeps  him 
in  after  school,  and  on  being  freed,  he  rushes  into  a  fight.  You,  his 
mother,  are  distracted,  for  although  he  seems  to  listen  to  you,  he  pays 
little  heed  to  your  commands. 

DIRECT  YOUR  CHILD’S  ENERGY 

What  are  you  going  to  do  with  such  a  child  ?  Send  him  to  a  reform 
school,  and  ruin  his  life?  Beat  him  until  all  the  buoyancy  has  gone  out 
of  his  nature?  Keep  him  in  after  school  until  he  becomes  irritable 
and  nervous?  No,  indeed!  The  best  thing  to  do  with  a  lively  and  unre¬ 
strained  child  is  to  set  his  energies  in  a  safe  and  sane  channel.  Teach 
him  field  sports,  open  up  for  him  the  delights  of  the  manual  training 
room.  Give  him  a  hammer,  a  few  nails,  a  bit  of  lumber,  a  paste  pot, 
some  cardboard.  Boys  love  to  work  with  their  hands,  so  let  your  boy 
make  things.  He  will  like  to  build  stools  and  coat  racks,  boxes,  broom- 

340 


DEVELOPING  BOYS  AND  GIRLS 


341 


holders,  anything  that  is  useful.  That  is  one  of  the  great  secrets  of 
bringing  up  a  boy,  make  him  useful.  He  likes  the  little  sense  of  power, 
the  natural  feeling  of  pride  that  comes  from  a  knowledge  that  he  is 
of  some  consequence,  that  his  work  counts.  The  boy  who  is  taught  to 
do  something  well,  will  not  long  be  unmanageable. 

KEEPING  THE  BOY  BUSY 

Supposing  the  boy  is  not  to  be  directed  at  once  into  the  enchanting 
field  of  handcraft;  supposing  his  mother  has  allowed  him  to  run  wild 
a  little  too  long  or  has  not  noticed  that  he  was  evincing  signs  of  law¬ 
lessness  until  the  neighbors  or  teachers  send  home  uncomplimentary 
reports,  what’s  to  be  done?  Try  another  tactic.  See  if  you  cannot 
interest  him  in  outdoor  sports  to  a  point  where  he  reaches  self-respect. 
Baseball  will  do,  a  bat  and  a  ball  may  help  him  to  rouse  the  best  that 
is  in  your  lad.  Then  let  him  help  his  father  with  chores,  let  him  drive 
the  team  to  town,  or  sell  a  load  of  produce — nothing  brings  out  a  boy’s 
incipient  manhood  like  the  thought  that  he  is  helping  his  “dad,”  that 
he  can  be  depended  upon,  and  held  responsible  for  something  really 
worth  while. 

I  know  a  fine  boy  of  twelve,  the  son  of  a  store-keeper  in  a  small 
Georgia  town,  who  is  raising  hens.  He  has  forty  flourishing  Wyan- 
dottes,  a  couple  of  dozen  Leghorns  and  as  many  Buff  Cochins.  He  has 
built  a  substantial  hen  house,  and  fenced  in  a  part  of  the  yard.  Friends 
and  relatives  became  interested  in  his  enterprise  and  gave  him  sug¬ 
gestions,  the  benefit  of  their  experience,  until  now  he  is  a  thriving 
chicken  farmer.  Last  summer,  he  sold  on  an  average  of  five  dozen  eggs 
a  day.  We  were  among  his  customers,  and  we  paid  him  thirty  cents 
a  dozen,  his  regular  price,  which  means  that  the  twelve-year-old  made 
$1.50  a  day,  or  $10.50  a  week.  Besides  earing  a  little  money  he  was 
having  a  lot  of  fun. 

He  had  enough  on  his  mind  to  keep  him  out  of  trouble,  and  enough 
on  his  hands  to  work  off  the  physical  force  that  otherwise  might  have 
gone  to  waste,  making  him  an  undesirable  citizen. 


342 


DEVELOPING  BOYS  AND  GIRLS 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  THE  BOY 

If  your  boy  is  mischievous,  can  you  not  make  a  merchant  or  a 
farmer  or  a  gardener  out  of  him?  It  need  not  be  his  vocation.  Let  it 
be  his  avocation,  his  hobby.  Don’t  shut  him  in,  don’t  keep  him  down; 
encourage  him  to  come  out  along  life’s  highway  and  show  the  world 
the  sort  of  stuff  he’s  made  of. 

A  very  noble-minded  woman  of  my  acquaintance  is  suffering  from 
the  effects  of  having  been  constantly  restrained  when  she  was  a  child. 
She  is  in  consequence,  diffident,  lacking  in  self-confidence,  liable  to 
become  the  victim  of  a  strong-willed  person’s  whim.  She  says  that, 
as  a  girl,  all  her  natural  instincts  were  put  to  scorn.  Pull  of  abounding 
life,  she  loved  to  leap  down  the  stairs,  throw  herself  into  her  mother’s 
arms,  shout  with  laughter,  sing  at  the  top  of  her  voice  as  she  went 
about  her  tasks.  This  was  looked  upon  with  horror  by  her  sedate  and 
cautious  parent.  “Don’t  run  down  the  stairs,”  her  mother  would  say. 
“Don’t  laugh  so  loud ! ”  “ Don ’t  shout  like  that ! ’ ’  Don ’t,  don ’t,  don ’t, 
until  the  poor  girl  did  not  really  know  what  she  might  do  with  im¬ 
punity.  She  was  constantly  being  humiliated  before  visitors,  and  the 
joy  in  life  that  might  have  been  cultivated  and  utilized,  nay,  even 
glorified,  was  driven  quite  out  of  her  soul.  Yet  her  mother  was  an 
excellent  woman,  who  meant  to  do  just  the  right  thing  by  that  little 
girl  of  hers.  She  had  her  own  idea  of  what  a  young  girl  should  be. 
This  gay,  hilarious  creature  was  not  just  what  the  mother  desired. 
She  had  hopes  of  bringing  up  a  dignified,  gentle,  lady-like,  delicate, 
feminine  daughter  rather  than  a  hoyden.  What  might  not  that  mother 
have  done  had  she  but  understood  the  glorious  material  God  had  lent 
her  to  work  with  a  little  while! 

If  she  had  only  realized  that  the  quality  she  was  stamping  out  was 
a  radiant,  winged,  rare,  inspired  and  inspiring  touch  of  nature  spring¬ 
ing  out  of  a  fullness  of  life,  a  superabundance  of  health,  she  might  have 
made  her  child  a  queen  among  women,  a  leader,  a  creature  admired 
and  adored. 


DEVELOPING  BOYS  AND  GIELS 


843 


THE  SOUL  NEEDS  SPACE  TO  DEVELOP 

Instead,  she  accomplished  not  the  dainty,  refined  model  she  set  her 
unwise  hands  to,  but  an  anomaly,  an  unwieldy  statue  with  the  helmeted 
head  of  Athene  and  the  dancing  body  of  Terpsichore.  The  mother  can 
do  much  for  her  child,  but  she  cannot  put  her  soul  into  the  other  body. 
The  child’s  soul  is  its  own.  Inspirations  and  energies  can  be  directed, 
that  is  all.  The  soul  must  grow;  it  must  develop,  and  for  this  it  must 
have  a  wide  space.  Do  not  bind  the  growth  with  a  too  compelling 
hand.  Let  co-operation,  not  coercion,  be  the  stimulus  between  you. 

The  whole  world  is  yours  and  your  child’s,  dear  mother,  therefore 
do  not  cramp  his  mental  or  spiritual  gymnastics.  There  are  a  thou¬ 
sand  outlets,  a  hundred  thousand  modes  of  expression.  Find  youi 
child’s  height  and  depth;  sound  him,  measure  his  capacity  for  learn¬ 
ing,  pleasure,  pain,  work,  and  let  him  grow  in  beauty,  wisdom  and 
peace  ever  unfolding  into  the  Infinite. 


DEVELOPING  MORAL 
CHARACTER 


The  whole  field  of  our  obligation  both  positive  and  negative;  that 
is,  the  “I  oughts”  and  the  “I  ought  nots”;  what  we  ought  to  do  and 
what  we  ought  to  avoid;  our  duty  toward  ourselves,  our  duty  toward 
mankind  and  our  duty  toward  God,  come  to  us  through  what  we  term 
moral  or  ethical  science.  A  mental  construction  having  as  its  basis 
purity  and  duty.  When  the  moral  nature  is  cultivated  and  developed 
it  controls  every  action  of  man,  radiating  from  the  individual  to  society 
and  from  society  back  again  to  the  individual. 

We  study  moral  science  in  order  that  we  may  conduct  ourselves 
properly  in  all  relations  of  life;  that  we  may  be  inwardly  pure  and 
outwardly  moral;  that  we  may  be  harmonious  in  our  mental  construc¬ 
tion  and  in  our  relations  with  the  world.  It  is  true  that  we  may  attain 
some  degree  of  morality  without  giving  it  especial  study,  just  as 
we  may  live  in  the  world  and  perform  the  ordinary  work  of  life 
without  scholastic  learning.  There  is  a  natural  desire  for  knowledge — 
we  seek  a  rational  account  of  things.  Moral  science  endeavors  to  give 
us  this  rational  account  of  moral  conduct  which  we  find  everywhere  in 
some  form,  to  correct  and  improve  it,  to  elevate  and  purify  our  moral 
ideals. 


HOME  THE  PLACE  FOR  STUDY 

We  know  of  no  more  appropriate  place  for  the  practical  beginning 
of  this  most  important  duty  than  in  the  home.  The  influence  of  the 
parents’  character  upon  the  children  cannot  be  estimated.  Everything 
that  we  come  in  contact  with  has  a  certain  influence  upon  us.  A  man 
took  a  political  paper  only  to  laugh  at  it,  but  he  read  the  same  theories 

344 


DEVELOPING  MORAL  CHARACTER 


345 


over  and  over  until  at  length  they  became  truths  to  him.  As  the  con¬ 
stant  dropping  of  water  will  wear  away  the  stone,  so  will  constant 
association  have  an  everlasting  influence  upon  the  character.  It  may 
be  changed — either  elevated  or  degraded — but  it  never  can  be  de¬ 
stroyed. 

Every  child  is  born  with  a  natural  temperament  or  disposition, 
which  is  the  product  of  two  elementary  factors.  (1)  Inheritance — 
those  qualities  which  are  transmitted  by  nature  from  one’s  ancestors 
and  (2)  maternal  impression — the  impression  made  upon  the  plastic 
brain  of  the  foetus.  The  first  comes  from  generations  of  ancestry, 
whereas  the  last  is  entirely  dependent  upon  the  mother;  the  influence 
of  what  she  sees,  what  she  hears  and  what  she  thinks.  These  qualities 
combine  for  good  or  for  bad,  to  influence  the  life  of  the  child. 

Fortunate  indeed  is  the  child  who  is  well  born,  but  doubly  fortunate 
is  he  who  may  also  be  well  trained. 


IMPRESSIONS  MADE  BY  THE  EYE 

The  home  is  the  true  soil  for  the  cultivation  of  virtue.  Mere  culti¬ 
vation  of  intellect  has  little  influence  upon  character.  Most  of  the 
principles  of  character  are  implanted  in  the  home  and  not  in  the  school. 
Children  are  more  apt  to  learn  through  the  eye  than  through  the  ear. 
That  which  is  seen  makes  a  much  deeper  impression  on  the  mind  than 
that  which  is  read  or  heard,  and  that  which  they  see  they  will  uncon¬ 
sciously  imitate. 

Notice  the  little  mannerisms  of  your  children.  It  may  be  a  way 
of  walking,  or  a  twist  of  the  mouth  or  an  accent.  How  easily  you  can 
detect  the  origin!  Therefore  it  behooves  parents  to  place  before  their 
children  examples  of  character  that  as  nearly  as  possible  approach 
perfection.  Whatever  benefit  there  is  derived  from  the  schools,  the 
examples  set  in  the  home  are  of  far  greater  influence  in  forming  the 
character  of  our  future  men  and  women. 


346 


DEVELOPING  MOEAL  CHAEACTEE 


THE  HOME  THE  SOCIAL  CENTER 

The  home  is  the  center  of  social  and  national  character  and  from 
that  source  issues  the  habits,  principles  and  maxims  that  govern  public 
as  well  as  private  life.  Examples  of  conduct  even  in  apparently  trivial 
matters  are  of  great  importance,  inasmuch  as  they  are  to  become  inter¬ 
woven  with  the  lives  of  others  and  contribute  to  the  formation  of  the 
character  for  better  or  for  worse. 

We  have  first  certain  implanted  principles  of  involuntary  action. 
They  are  the  appetites  which  are  tendencies  toward  things  for  bodily 
life  and  continuance;  the  desires  which  are  tendencies  toward  things 
necessary  for  mental  life  and  development,  and  the  affections  which 
are  tendencies  toward  social  life  and  welfare. 

The  appetites  are  cravings  produced  by  recurring  wants  and  needs 
necesary  to  the  body  and  are  seven  in  number:  hunger,  thirst,  sex, 
sleep,  rest,  exercise  and  air — all  of  which  are  necessary  for  our  animal 
existence.  The  appetites  play  a  strong  part  even  in  our  social  and 
moral  life,  and  they  may  be  lifted  up  to  a  higher  plane  of  moral  action 
or  they  may  be  drawn  down  to  a  mere  brute  impulse.  Every  gift  of 
the  body  and  soul  can  be  moralized  for  good. 


APPETITE  AS  A  FACTOR  IN  CHARACTER 

The  higher  moral  attainment  rests  in  and  arises  out  of  the  physical 
nature.  The  intellect  and  the  moral  structure  can  be  no  greater  than 
the  foundation  will  allow.  The  appetites  are  attended  by  an  uneasy 
sensation  which  incites  action.  There  is  no  moral  quality  in  the  appe¬ 
tites  themselves,  as  can  be  seen  in  the  brute,  but  in  man  with  his 
higher  gifts  they  become  important  factors  of  his  moral  character. 
They  not  only  impel  him  to  action,  but  bring  him  into  relationship 
with  the  material  world  and  with  his  fellowmen. 

The  pleasures  accompanying  the  appetite  are  legitimate  and  useful 
in  their  proper  indulgence,  and  are  necessary  to  life  and  existence. 


DEVELOPING  MORAL  CHARACTER 


347 


The  child,  naturally  born,  will  soon  display  the  uneasiness  naturally 
attendant  upon  the  appetites  and  it  is  the  duty  of  the  mothers  to  supply 
the  needs  in  a  careful,  intelligent  manner.  A  child  may  be  so  bodily 
impoverished  that  he  will  become  a  moral  degenerate,  so  we  would 
impress  the  greatest  importance  upon  the  bodily  care  of  the  child. 

STORY  OF  THE  TWO  BROTHERS 

The  case  is  recalled  of  a  young  mother  who  had  two  sons,  the 
younger  of  whom  was  a  healthy,  rosy  little  lad,  while  the  elder  was 
thin  and  delicate.  The  healthy  boy  ate  heartily  of  all  that  was  served 
him,  while  the  delicate  boy  only  ate  choice  bits  of  food  and  constantly 
indulged  in  sweets.  The  mother  praised  the  healthy  boy  and  showed 
her  disappointment  that  the  elder  was  not  like  his  brother.  Suddenly 
the  family  noticed  the  thin  boy  was  getting  stouter  and  they  all  told 
him  how  pleased  they  were,  and  the  mother  was  beginning  to  feel 
very  happy  when  to  her  dismay  she  discovered  that  he  had  padded 
himself.  Her  heart  was  touched  with  pity  Avhen  she  thought  of  the 
pathos  in  his  little  mind  that  prompted  him  to  resort  to  such  measures. 
The  boy  was  acting  a  falsehood  in  order  to  meet  his  mother’s  approval. 
This  may  have  all  been  prevented  had  the  mother  sought  to  ascertain 
the  cause  of  the  poor  appetite  and  supplied  the  remedy.  Had  she  taken 
the  time  to  explain  to  him  food  values  and  the  necessity  of  fresh  air 
and  exercise,  seeing  that  he  availed  himself  of  them,  this  desire  to 
deceive  would  probably  never  have  arisen. 

The  appetite  of  sex  bears  the  same  relation  to  the  continuance 
of  the  species  as  the  other  appetites  bear  to  the  well-being  of  the  body. 
The  family  based  first  on  natural  love  is  essential  to  the  existence  and 
development  of  man.  Afterward  paternal  and  maternal  love  are  added 
and  then  come  all  the  wider  affections  toward  mankind. 

APPETITE  MAY  BE  ACQUIRED 

We  not  only  have  the  natural  appetites  but  the  acquired  appetites, 
which  are  related  to  desires  but  in  their  action  they  are  like  original 


348 


DEVELOPING  MOEAL  CHAEACTER 


appetites.  Artificial  appetites  may  be  inherited.  This  is  especially 
true  in  the  case  of  the  children  of  the  drunkard,  opium  taker  and 
tobacco  user.  This  is  probably  due  to  the  etfect  upon  the  nervous 
system,  and  it  is,  as  a  rule,  for  the  etfect  upon  the  nervous  system  that 
these  things  are  taken.  Or,  they  may  be  acquired  by  the  individual’s 
deficiency  of  self-control  and  a  natural  inclination  on  his  part  to  act 
the  braggadocio  or  abandon,  deluding  himself  that  he  is  acting  manly, 
and  endeavoring  to  create  a  like  impression  upon  others. 

THE  PERIOD  OF  “COLTISHNESS” 

This  disposition  is  always  more  or  less  present  in  children,  and 
particularly  so  in  youth.  It  would  appear  in  the  minds  of  a  great  many 
there  is  the  necessity  of  a  period  of  coltishness  through  which  we  all 
must  pass,  and  during  which  there  would  seem  no  help  for  us  but  a 
free  rein  and  copious  mother-tears.  As  the  world  is  growing  wiser 
and  better,  and  as  we  all  are  coming  to  recognize  this  improvement  of 
conditions,  these  fatuous  delusions  are  losing  ground  and  now  instead 
of  it  appearing  “big”  to  the  child  or  youth  to  do  those  “smart” 
things,  he  is  beginning  to  realize  that  his  standing  in  the  community 
and  the  respect  which  he  wishes  to  command,  must  be  governed  wholly 
by  the  qualities  of  manliness  and  gentility  of  which  he  is  possessed. 

It  is  a  failing  on  our  part  individually  to  look  upon  our  own  as 
good  and  all  others  as  bad,  where  there  is  a  difference,  and  however 
comforting  this  may  be  to  us,  we  must  face  the  question  squarely — 
that  there  is  just  about  as  much  bad  in  one  as  there  is  in  the  other. 
The  scales  may  not  always  balance  in  such  a  comparison,  but  usually 
they  will  very  nearly  do  so.  The  virtues  which  are  possessed  by  dif¬ 
ferent  individuals  may  not  always  be  the  same,  but  they  always  make 
up  for  the  more  or  less  patent  deficiencies. 

For  instance,  our  attention  was  once  called  to  a  very  lovable  young 
man,  weak  in  character  and  somewhat  dissipated,  who  was  so  sympa¬ 
thetic  that  he  would  show  the  deepest  solicitude  for  the  poor  and  help¬ 
less  child,  the  dumb  brute  in  its  sutferings,  or  the  poor  wounded  bird. 


DEVELOPING  MORAL  CHARACTER 


349 


Had  the  character  of  this  young  man  been  properly  trained  in  the 
days  of  his  childhood,  no  thought  would  have  been  given  by  him  to 
those  things  resulting  in  dissipation,  but  that  natural  energy  of  young 
manhood  would  otherwise  have  found  vent,  and  have  been  a  great 
good  and  a  great  blessing. 

SUBJUGATION  OF  THE  APPETITE 

The  appetites  are  not  to  be  eradicated  but  to  be  restrained  and 
kept  in  subjection  to  their  proper  ends.  The  desires  are  in  many  ways 
analogous  to  the  appetites,  hence  the  common  expression  we  “hunger” 
and  “thirst”  for  knowledge,  or  power,  or  any  of  the  so-called  six  orig¬ 
inal  desires — knowledge,  society,  love,  power,  superiority  and  posses¬ 
sion.  All  proper  desires  end  in  their  proper  objects  and  seek  nothing 
more.  We  may  seek  knowledge  whereby  we  may  control  and  elevate 
the  natural  qualities  we  possess  and  make  safe  our  influence  upon 
others:  or  again  we  may  seek  knowledge  out  of  vanity  for  the  means 
of  display. 

Social  life  is  the  chief  sphere  of  our  activities  and  improvements, 
without  which  the  moral  nature  could  not  be  developed.  But  then  we 
may  desire  society  for  purely  selfish  motives,  as  the  child  may  seek  a 
playmate  merely  that  he  may  himself  be  amused,  not  that  he  may  give 
pleasure  to  the  other  child.  The  disposition  to  be  loved  and  esteemed 
appears  very  early  in  childhood.  It  is  considered  a  mark  of  bad  char¬ 
acter  to  be  careless  of  the  regard  of  others.  A  moralist  once  said: 
“A  young  man  is  not  far  from  ruin  when  he  can  say  without  blushing, 
‘I  don’t  care  what  others  think  of  me’,”  and  on  the  other  extreme 
esteem  may  be  craved  to  such  an  extent  that  it  may  lead  to  hypocrisy 
and  deceit. 


PROPER  APPLICATION  OF  OUR  DESIRES 

So  on  through  the  whole  list  of  desires  both  natural  and  acquired, 
we  have  the  benefits  of  their  proper  application  and  the  sorrows  and 
discomforts  of  their  abuses.  “Place  even  the  highest-minded  philoso¬ 
pher  in  the  midst  of  daily  discomfort,  immorality  and  vileness,  and  he 


350 


DEVELOPING  MORAL  CHARACTER 


will  insensibly  gravitate  toward  brutality.  How  much  more  suscepti¬ 
ble  is  the  impressionable  and  helpless  child  amid  such  surroundings! 
It  is  not  possible  to  rear  a  kindly  nature,  sensitive  to  evil,  pure  in  mind 
and  heart,  amidst  coarseness,  discomfort  and  impurity.” 

It  is  said  that  ‘  ‘  the  highest  of  our  joys  are  found  in  the  affections,  ’  ’ 
but  because  the  appetites  and  desires  seem  primarily  intended  for  the 
existence  of  our  nature  it  does  not  follow  that  they  are  selfish.  We 
would  never  know  that  we  needed  to  take  food  were  it  not  for  the 
implanted  appetite.  We  would  never  know  that  we  needed  to  seek 
knowledge  were  it  not  for  implanted  desires,  nor  would  we  ever  be  led 
to  deeds  of  love  and  sympathy  were  it  not  for  the  implanted  affections. 

SOWING  SEEDS  OF  KINDLINESS 

Good  and  friendly  conduct  may  meet  with  an  unworthy  and  un¬ 
grateful  return,  but  the  absence  of  gratitude  on  the  part  of  the  receiver 
cannot  destroy  the  self-approbation  which  compensates  the  giver,  and 
we  can  scatter  the  seeds  of  courtesy  and  kindliness  around  us  at  so 
little  expense.  Some  of  them  will  inevitably  fall  on  good  ground  and 
grow  up  into  benevolence  in  the  minds  of  others,  and  all  of  them  will 
bear  fruits  of  happiness  in  the  bosom  whence  they  sprang. 

Bentham  says  that  ‘  ‘  a  man  becomes  rich  in  his  own  stock  of  pleas¬ 
ures  in  proportion  to  the  amount  he  distributes  to  others.  Kind  words 
cost  no  more  than  unkind  words.  Kind  words  produce  kind  actions, 
.mt  only  on  the  part  of  him  to  whom  they  are  addressed,  but  on  the 
part  of  him  by  whom  they  are  employed ;  and  this  not  incidentally  only, 
but  habitually,  in  virtue  of  the  principle  of  association.  It  may  indeed 
happen  that  the  effort  of  beneficence  may  not  benefit  those  for  whom 
it  was  intended,  but  when  wisely  directed  it  must  benefit  the  person 
from  whom  it  emanates.” 

A  well-known  author  tells  a  story  of  a  little  girl,  a  great  favorite 
with  every  one  who  knew  her.  “Why  does  everybody  love  you  so 
much'?”  She  answered,  “I  think  it  is  because  I  love  everybody  so 
much.  ’  ’  This  little  story  is  capable  of  a  very  wide  application ;  for  our 
happiness  as  human  beings,  generally  speaking,  will  be  found  to  be 


DEVELOPING  MORAL  CHARACTER 


851 


very  much  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  things  we  love,  and  the 
number  of  things  that  love  us.  The  greatest  worldly  success,  however 
honestly  achieved,  will  contribute  comparatively  little  to  happiness 
unless  it  be  accompanied  by  a  lively  benevolence  toward  every  human 
being. 

RESENTMENT  AGAINST  INJUSTICE 

Then  we  have  with  the  kindly  affections  the  defensive  affection — 
resentment,  the  spontaneous  uprising  of  our  natures  against  harm  and 
injury.  It  meets  impending  danger  in  an  instant — not  only  personal 
danger,  but  is  present  in  our  relations  with  others;  as  the  mother 
repels  harm  from  her  child.  The  resentment  against  wrong  and  injus¬ 
tice  should  be  taught  as  a  righteous  and  noble  attainment,  but  the 
abuses  are  equally  dangerous. 

The  mother  will  do  well  to  explain  to  the  child  the  different  quali¬ 
ties  of  this  attainment.  That  quality  which  will  protect  him  from 
wrong  and  injury  and  which  is  excited  by  cruelty  and  injustice  on  the 
one  side,  and  on  the  other  side  the  abuses  which  are  passion  and  peev¬ 
ishness.  Teach  him  that  the  giving  away  to  sudden  fits  of  anger  stamps 
him  as  being  ill-bred  and  peevishness  is  a  sign  of  weak  character; 
both  of  which  are  diseases  that  if  not  cured  will  tend  to  destroy  the 
moral  structure. 

There  is  more  virtue  in  one  sunbeam  than  a  whole  hemisphere  of 
clouds  and  gloom.  Therefore,  look  on  the  bright  side  of  things.  Culti¬ 
vate  what  is  warm  and  genial — not  the  cold  and  repulsive,  the  dark 
and  morose.  Don’t  neglect  your  duty;  live  down  prejudice. 

THE  JOYS  OF  CHEERFULNESS 

Cheerfulness!  How  sweet  in  infancy,  how  lovely  in  youth,  how 
saintly  in  age!  There  are  a  few  noble  natures  whose  very  presence 
carries  sunshine  with  them  wherever  they  go;  a  sunshine  which  means 
pity  for  the  poor,  sympathy  for  the  suffering,  help  for  the  unfortunate, 
and  benignity  toward  all.  How  such  a  face  enlivens  every  other  face 
it  meets,  and  carries  into  every  one  vivacity,  joy  and  gladness. 


352 


DEVELOPING  MOEAL  CHAEACTER 


At  the  same  time,  life  will  always  be  to  a  large  extent  what  we 
make  it.  Each  mind  makes  its  own  little  world.  The  cheerful  mind 
makes  it  pleasant,  the  discontented  mind  makes  it  miserable.  “My 
mind  to  me  a  kingdom  is,”  applies  alike  to  the  peasant  and  the  mon¬ 
arch.  Life  is,  for  the  most  part,  but  the  mirror  of  our  own  individual 
selves. 

PRINCIPLE  AND  CONSCIENCE 

The  true  character  acts  rightly,  whether  in  secret  or  in  the  sight 
of  others.  That  boy  was  well  trained  who,  when  asked  why  he  did  not 
pocket  some  pears,  for  nobody  was  there  to  see,  replied:  “Yes,  there 
was;  I  was  there  to  see  myself;  and  I  don’t  intend  ever  to  see  myself 
do  a  dishonest  thing.  ’  ’  This  is  a  simple  but  not  inappropriate  illustra¬ 
tion  of  principle,  or  conscience,  dominating  in  the  character,  and  exer¬ 
cising  a  noble  protectorate  over  it;  not  merely  a  passive  influence,  but 
an  active  power  regulating  life. 

Such  a  principle  goes  on  molding  the  character  hourly  and  daily, 
growing  with  a  force  that  operates  every  moment.  Without  this  domi¬ 
nating  influence,  character  has  no  protection,  but  is  constantly  liable 
to  fall  away  before  temptation;  and  every  such  temptation  succumbed 
to,  every  act  of  meanness  or  dishonesty,  however  slight,  causes  self¬ 
degradation.  It  matters  not  whether  the  act  be  successful  or  not,  dis¬ 
covered  or  concealed;  the  culprit  is  no  longer  the  same,  but  another 
person;  and  he  is  pursued  by  a  secret  uneasiness,  by  self-reproach,  or 
the  workings  of  what  we  call  conscience,  which  is  the  inevitable  doom 
of  the  guilty. 

WILL  DISTINGUISHED  FROM  CONSCIENCE 

We  have  within  us  that  controlling  element  or  power  known  as 
the  will  which  should  be  distinguished  from  mere  impulse,  and  which 
gives  us  the  ability  of  passing  upon  and  determining  suggestions  made 
to  our  mind  and  of  allowing  or  disapproving  the  thought  or  possible 
impulse  which  gives  them  use.  Will  is  distinguished  from  conscience 
in  that  it  marks  the  determination  and  lends  the  force  which  makes 


DEVELOPINa  MORAL  CHARACTER 


353 


conscience  potent,  drawing  us  nearer  to  the  perfection  which  self- 
denial  and  self-control  create  and,  let  us  hope,  to  the  end — 

“That  God  which  ever  lives  and  loves, 

One  God,  one  law,  one  element. 

And  one  far-off  divine  event. 

To  which  the  whole  creation  moves.” 

“The  great  end  of  training,”  says  a  great  writer,  “is  liberty;  and 
the  sooner  you  can  get  a  child  to  be  a  law  unto  himself,  the  sooner  you 
will  make  a  man  of  him.  I  will  respect  human  liberty  in  the  smallest 
child  even  more  scrupulously  than  in  a  grown  man;  for  the  latter  can 
defend  it  against  me,  while  the  child  cannot.  Never  will  I  insult  the 
child  so  far  as  to  regard  him  as  material  to  be  cast  into  a  mold,  to 
emerge  with  the  stamp  given  by  my  will.” 

DUTY  BEGINS  IN  THE  HOME 

Duty  embraces  our  ■whole  existence.  It  begins  in  the  home  "where 
there  is  duty  which  children  owe  to  their  parents  on  the  one  hand,  and 
duty  which  parents  owe  to  their  children  on  the  other.  There  are  in 
like  manner,  the  respective  duties  of  husband  and  wife,  of  employer 
and  employee;  while  outside  the  home  there  are  the  duties  which 
men  and  women  owe  to  each  other  as  friends  and  neighbors. 

May  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  first  seven  years  of  training,  in 
a  child’s  life,  is  of  such  importance  as  to  leave  its  impress  on  the 
character  throughout  all  the  coming  years.  Ljunan  Abbott  says: 
“Training  is  the  production  of  habit.  Actions  oft  repeated  become  a 
habit;  habit  long  continued  becomes  a  second  nature.” 

If  gentleness  and  kindliness  born  of  love  is  given  to  the  child,  at 
the  same  time  forgetting  not  that  kind  firmness  which  guides  the 
child’s  life  aright;  demanding  and  exacting  an  immediate  and  implicit 
obedience  to  your  instructions  and  directions,  using  whatever  patience 
and  firmness  may  be  necessary  to  compel  such  obedience — then  has  the 
parent,  and  only  then,  accomplished  that  beginning  and  foundation  of 
character  building  which  will  send  their  children  forth  to  bless  the 
world,  and  crown  you  with  glory. 


REVERENCE  AND  RESPECT 


“Life  is  the  wonder  of  wonders.”  We  can  neither  create  it  nor  can 
we  comprehend  its  mystery.  From  the  sun  worshiper  of  the  East  to 
the  red  man  of  the  West,  from  the  philosopher  to  the  child  there  is  in 
him  that  natural  inclination  to  bow  with  reverence  to  that  all  majestic, 
all  powerful  source  of  this  which  we  call  life.  ‘  ‘  The  greatest  harm  one 
may  do  in  life  is  to  destroy  it.  ’  ’ 

The  child  has  a  natural  tendency  toward  destruction,  which  we 
often  see  illustrated  in  the  youth  whose  chief  pleasure  is  obtained  by 
pulling  up  the  wild  flowers  and  shrubs.  He  says,  “they  do  not  suffer.” 
Possibly  not,  but  they  have  been  a  means  used  to  decorate  and  beautify 
the  earth.  To  destroy  them  for  amusement  is  an  insult  to  the  great 
Creator,  and  is  also  hardening  his  own  heart.  He  will  not  long  be  sat¬ 
isfied  to  trample  upon  the  rose  or  crush  the  lily,  but  will  want  to  tor¬ 
ture  living  things  that  will  cry  out  with  pain.  When  he  has  robbed 
the  bird’s  nest,  mutilated  the  toad  and  tied  the  tin  can  to  the  dog’s 
tail,  he  will  then  turn  to  his  fellowman  to  satiate  his  cultivated  taste 
for  cruelty.  The  attack  upon  the  flowers  was  only  the  preliminary  act 
to  destroy  his  sympathy,  love  and  pity.  He  has  forgotten  the  law, 
“Thou  shalt  not  kill.” 

EVIL  EFFECTS  OF  BAD  EXAMPLE,  ETC. 

To  spoil  another’s  life  is  almost  as  grave  an  act  as  to  take  it  from 
him.  Each  one  of  us  in  a  way  holds  the  health  and  happiness  of  others 
in  his  keeping,  and  by  bad  example,  ill-treatment  or  injustice  may 
make  life  to  some  one  so  undesirable  that  death  would  be  a  pleasure. 
Many  children  have  been  made  nervous  wrecks  by  the  mockery  and 
cruel  tricks  of  their  companions,  and  many  parents  and  teachers  have 

354 


REVERENCE  AND  RESPECT 


855 


had  their  health  and  happiness  seriously  impaired  by  disobedience  and 
disregard.  Life  is  forever  imperiled  by  the  wickedness,  ignorance  and 
thoughtlessness  of  those  who,  in  their  childhood,  failed  to  receive  the 
instructions  due  them  by  those  who  were  responsible  for  their  future 
being. 

As  a  counterpart  to  this  disposition  of  destruction  we  have  in  our 
nature  a  gentle,  sympathetic  tendency  which  will  respect  life  and  de¬ 
velopment  and  will  guide  us  to  its  protection  and  care  from  the  drop¬ 
ping  of  the  seed  to  the  harvest.  Pity  must  be  aroused  when  we  see  life 
endangered,  not  only  at  the  misfortune  of  humanity,  but  even  the 
wounded  bird  or  the  flower  crushed  by  the  stoi*m  should  bring  a  re¬ 
sponsive  heart-throb. 

Teach  the  child  to  straighten  the  broken  flower  and  to  replant  and 
gently  press  the  soil  around  the  uprooted  shrub.  Notice  the  i3leasure 
he  will  experience  when  the  flower  revives  and  the  shrub  takes  root. 
How  much  greater  will  be  his  pleasure  to  minister  to  some  living  thing. 
Help  him  dress  the  broken  wing  of  the  bird  and  warm  the  chilled  kit¬ 
ten;  with  what  eagerness  he  will  work  only  that  they  may  recover. 


LOVE,  HONOR  AND  REVERENCE 

He  has  then  learned  to  join  to  pity  those  activities  which  consti¬ 
tute  mercy.  It  will  then  be  an  easy  matter  for  him  to  care  for  the  sick 
and  infirm,  to  see  for  the  blind,  to  hear  for  the  deaf  and  to  walk  for  the 
lame.  Let  them  lift  the  burden  from  the  shoulders  of  the  aged  who 
have  “blazed  the  trail”  and  made  possible  our  present  benefits.  To 
them  all  love,  honor  and  reverence  is  due.  It  is  said,  “old  men  for 
counsel,  young  men  for  action.”  Necessarily,  the  old  engineer  who 
has  been  going  over  the  road  for  many  years  knows  more  of  the  danger¬ 
ous  grades  and  uncertain  curves  than  the  strong  young  man  who  is  to 
take  the  throttle  from  the  trembling  hand,  and  who  will  be  assured 
of  success  if  he  has  learned  the  lesson  of  wisdom  in  respecting  the 
counsel  of  the  aged. 

It  is  a  mistaken  idea  to  shield  children  from  all  knowledge  of 


856 


REVERENCE  AND  RESPECT 


misery  and  suffering.  It  is  not  those  who  are  blinded  to  suffering  who 
experience  the  greatest  amount  of  joy  in  life,  but  the  acme  of  joy  comes 
to  those  who  have  relieved  some  suffering.  It  is  not  always  possible  to 
do  great  acts  of  charity,  but  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  give  the  kind  word 
or  smile  that  may  turn  the  tide  which  will  convince  some  one  that  life 
is  worth  while.  It  has  been  our  experience  that  children  may  be  taught 
the  elementary  principles  of  nursing  to  a  very  great  advantage.  The 
knowledge  of  diet  and  hygiene  enables  them  not  only  to  care  for  others, 
but  is  applicable  to  their  own  bodily  needs.  The  quiet  step,  the  gentle 
voice,  the  self-control  necessary  to  the  care  of  the  sick,  and  the  respect 
due  the  physician  and  patient,  are  all  good  lessons  in  his  early  moral 
and  mental  training. 


CHINESE  RESPECT  FOR  PARENTS  AND  AGED 

We  must  confess  that  the  Chinese  hold  a  higher  regard  for  their 
parents  and  the  aged  than  we  do.  They  look  upon  the  Western  custom 
of  the  son’s  coming  of  age  and  going  out  into  the  world  without  re¬ 
gard  to  his  parents,  or  they  for  him  in  many  cases,  as  behavior  fit  for 
the  brute  and  not  fit  for  human  beings.  With  them,  as  the  parents 
are  held  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  the  child,  so  the  child  is  re¬ 
sponsible  for  the  credit  of  the  parents. 

All  children  cannot  be  clever  or  highly  intellectual,  but  they  may 
all  be  well  trained  and  unselfish.  A  child  should  be  taught  in  a  man¬ 
nerly  fashion  and  not  in  accordance  with  a  story  told  of  a  mother  who 
was  taking  her  well-beloved  child.  Tommy,  to  a  Christmas-tree  enter¬ 
tainment  given  in  a  public  hall.  At  the  door  of  the  hall  she  said: 
‘  ‘  Tommy,  mind  your  manners ;  smile  and  look  pleasant,  or  when  I  get 
you  out  again  I  will  break  every  bone  in  your  body.”  As  the  mother 
is  rude  to  her  child,  in  like  degree  she  may  expect  rudeness  from  the 
child.  A  child  has  a  right  to  civility  as  well  as  the  adult.  General 
Garfield  said :  “I  never  pass  a  ragged  boy  in  the  street  without  feeling 
that  one  day  I  might  owe  him  a  salute.  ’  ’ 


REVERENCE  AND  RESPECT 


357 


RESPECT  IN  THE  SCHOOL  ROOM 

There  is  no  surer  way  to  teach  a  child  to  respect  himself  than  to 
respect  him.  Trebonius,  a  great  schoolmaster,  upon  entering  the  school¬ 
room  was  wont  to  lift  his  hat  and  say:  “I  uncover  to  the  future  sen¬ 
ators,  counsellors,  wise  teachers,  and  other  great  men  that  may  come 
forth  from  this  school.”  There  is  no  place  where  the  respect  of  chil¬ 
dren  is  more  potent  than  in  the  school-room.  The  teacher  who  so  re¬ 
spects  them,  will  in  return  receive  that  reverence  and  love  which  will 
make  labor  pleasure  instead  of  toil. 

There  is  no  greater  indication  of  rudeness  and  ill-training  than  too 
great  familiarity  with  any  one,  more  especially  to  those  in  higher  official 
positions.  A  young  man  was  asked  why,  as  he  had  a  preference  for 
the  army,  he  did  not  seek  to  become  an  officer.  He  replied:  “I  would 
not  like  to  have  to  salute  a  superior  officer.”  A  young  man  of  this 
description  would  not  be  of  value  in  any  profession  or  to  society.  It 
is  not  the  individual  that  we  salute,  but  the  commission  of  the  superior 
officer.  Every  rank  in  life  has  its  distinctive  dignity,  so  we  should 
insist  upon  that  respect  due  our  position,  at  the  same  time  not  for¬ 
getting  the  respect  due  others  in  both  private  and  public  life. 


LOVE  AND  REVERENCE  FOR  ONE’S  COUNTRY 

We  cannot  impress  too  early  on  the  child’s  mind  the  love  and  rev¬ 
erence  he  owes  to  his  country.  The  superior  merits  of  her  institutions 
should  always  be  present  in  such  teachings  so  that  the  child  always 
would  recognize  the  best  under  the  flag  which  stands  for  his  welfare 
and  protection.  Regardless  of  the  respective  merits  of  different  gov¬ 
ernments,  let  none  be  greater  than  his  own  so  that  the  child  will  learn 
always  to  defend  and  maintain  the  honor  and  dignity  of  his  country. 

The  essential  condition  to  be  aimed  at  in  home  life  should  be  that 
as  the  child  grows  up  there  be  no  question  of  fear,  and  that  if  the  par¬ 
ents  are  to  do  the  most  for  their  children  and  are  going  to  get  the 
greatest  amount  of  pleasure  and  comfort  for  themselves  from  them, 


358 


REVERENCE  AND  RESPECT 


there  must  be  a  spirit  of  perfect  respect  and  kindly  comradeship.  Par¬ 
ents  and  children,  to  use  the  common  but  most  expressive  phrase, 
should  in  the  best  sense  of  the  term  be  companions. 

The  laws  of  this  and  every  civilized  land  teach  respect  for  the 
property  of  others,  the  justice,  not  the  penalty  which  commands  due 
respect.  But  respect  for  the  opinions  and  views  of  others — this  is  a 
virtue  that  needs  be  inoculated  in  your  children’s  minds  early.  It  is 
closely  connected  with  charity.  In  teaching  this  form  of  respect  im¬ 
press  upon  them  the  great  difference  in  people.  No  two  persons  see  or 
think  exactly  alike.  The  world  would  be  monotonous  were  all  of  its 
people  the  same  in  thought  and  expression.  It  is  always  well  to  re¬ 
member  that,  ‘  ‘  it  takes  all  kinds  of  people  to  make  a  world.  ’  ’  Respect 
for  parents,  for  strangers,  for  the  aged,  should  be  instilled  in  the  mind 
of  every  child.  Explain  to  them  that,  “respect  for  others’  views  is  the 
surest  way  of  winning  them  to  your  own.  ’  ’  Reverence  for  things  sacred 
always  helps  to  brighten  the  way.  The  reverence  with  which  a  little 
child  kneels  at  his  mother’s  side  is  a  beautiful  sight.  Respect  for  the 
mother’s  teachings  and  reverence  in  the  worship  of  God  through  her 
implicit  faith  in  a  higher  power.  Reverence  and  respect  go  hand  in 
hand.  “As  ye  measure  to  others,  so  in  like  manner  shall  it  be  measured 
to  you  again.” 


DUTIES  OF  CHILDREN  TO  THEIR 

PARENTS 


CHILDREN  SHOULD  SHARE  IN  DUTIES 

Let  the  children  share  in  the  duties  of  the  home.  Even  while  very 
young  there  are  many  steps  that  a  child  may  save  the  mother.  Let 
them  do  the  little  things,  such  as  bringing  mother’s  work  basket  or 
having  something  ready  for  father’s  comfort  when  he  comes  home 
from  the  day’s  work  and  care.  Gradually,  as  they  grow,  let  the  tasks 
gently  shift  over  to  the  young  shoulders.  It  results  by  so  doing  in  the 
mother  always  finding  time  to  be  the  companion  of  her  husband  and 
children — and  that  they  will  appreciate. 

The  prospective  and  nursing  mother  should  receive  especial  con¬ 
sideration.  It  should  be  known  and  recognized  that  her  requirements 
for  wholesome  food,  and  above  all  wholesome  surroundings,  are  neces¬ 
sary  for  the  normal  development  of  her  child  and  for  her  own  physical 
safety.  How  can  she, — perhaps  already  a  mother  of  several  children, 
have  the  needed  rest  and  time  to  read  or  walk  in  the  fresh  air,  unless 
the  family  co-operate  with  her  ?  It  is  so  easy  for  the  husband  to  direct 
the  children  at  these  times  and  at  all  times,  as  to  the  care  the  mother 
is  deserving.  We  know  a  gentleman  who,  as  a  judge,  has  never  had  his 
opinion  on  legal  questions  reversed,  would  commonly,  after  dinner, 
when  there  was  no  help  in  the  house,  lead  his  wife  to  an  easy  chair, 
affectionately  express  his  and  the  family’s  appreciation  of  the  fine  din¬ 
ner  that  they  had  all  enjoyed  and  turning  to  their  son,  would  say: 
“Come,  son,  we  must  wash  the  dishes;  we  would  not  be  very  appre¬ 
ciative  were  we  to  permit  mother  to  work  longer  today.”  Some  would 
say  that  such  work  is  not  in  keeping  with  his  august  position.  Be  that 
as  it  may,  one  fact  remains:  He  has  taught  his  children  to  care  for 
their  mother  in  such  a  way  that  there  will  never  arise  any  questions  as 
to  her  position  or  her  rights. 


369 


360 


DUTIES  OF  CHILDREN  TO  THEIR  PARENTS 


COURTESIES  DUE  THE  MOTHER 

In  this  same  manner  the  children  can  he  taught  that  mother  will 
remain  happier  and  younger  if  she  is  given  the  assurance  of  their  love 
and  thoughtfulness  by  the  occasional  remembrance  of  a  desirable  gift, 
a  book,  or  a  pretty  bouquet  of  flowers.  They  may  be  wild  flowers, 
gathered  by  your  own  hands.  So  much  the  better.  The  little  gifts  of 
labor  are  so  much  the  sweeter.  Then  there  is  mother’s  birthday  to  be 
remembered  by  little  offerings  of  love  from  the  family.  They  do  not 
remind  her  of  advancing  years,  but  count  each  year  a  pearl ;  each  pearl 
a  prize.  On  her  wedding  anniversary  the  husband  brings  to  his  sweet¬ 
heart  wife  some  gift  as  a  lover’s  token.  So  as  time  passes,  each  year 
the  vows  of  their  youth  are  renewed  and  the  bonds  between  them  sus¬ 
tained. 

The  most  practical  appreciation  of  love  and  worth  that  a  woman 
may  show  her  husband — the  provider  of  her  family — is  the  careful  con¬ 
sideration  of  the  best  interest  of  the  family.  Eventually  the  man  who 
receives  such  sympathy  and  help  will  find  his  life  being  purified  and 
strengthened. 

mother  should  BE  CONFIDED  IN 

There  is  not  much  that  can  be  achieved  in  the  world  without  know¬ 
ing  conditions  and  requirements.  So  it  is  with  the  home.  The  family 
cannot  enjoy  the  sympathy  of  the  mother  without  giving  her  their 
confidence.  The  husband  who  confides  his  financial  affairs  to  the  wife 
will  seldom  fail.  Let  her  know  the  amount  and  source  of  his  income; 
let  her  feel  that  she  is  his  partner  and  that  a  portion  of  his  income  is 
hers,  and  there  will  be  little  danger  of  financial  failure  or  domestic  un¬ 
happiness. 

A  mother’s  success  with  her  family  depends  upon  how  much  she 
lives  in  their  lives  and  experiences;  the  interest  she  takes  in  each  day’s 
effort.  Even  though  she  cannot  go  with  them  she  can  enjoy  their  feel¬ 
ings  and  live  them  all  over  again  with  them  in  the  home.  The  habit  of 
telling  mother  everything  which  has  happened  during  the  day  is  not 


DUTIES  OF  CHILDREN  TO  THEIR  PARENTS 


361 


only  a  great  safeguard  to  the  children,  but  the  mother  may  live  over 
her  childhood  days  of  dolls  and  toys,  and  may  enlighten  her  mind  by 
reading  and  studying  with  her  bright  boy  and  girl;  may  even  dream 
the  sweet  love  dreams  all  over  again  as  with  a  gentle  hand  and  sym¬ 
pathetic  heart  she  guides  her  children  to  a  life  of  safety  and  happiness. 


THE  DUTIES  OF  HUSBAND  AND  WIFE  TO  EACH  OTHER 

The  mother’s  rights  are  real  and  comprehensive.  They  are  some¬ 
thing  not  to  be  disputed.  Hers  are  the  greatest  in  the  family.  These 
rights  her  children  may  not  in  early  youth  be  able  to  fully  realize,  but 
these  she  must  teach  to  them  simply  and  must  insist  upon.  She  has 
rights,  very  clearly  defined,  to  be  accorded  by  her  husband,  and  if  he 
hesitates  she  is  most  unfortunate  and  he  is  most  unworthy.  Her  dues 
from  him  are  the  greatest  of  all.  They  are  the  greatest  in  the  world. 
If  she  has  borne  him  children  she  has  done  for  him  the  utmost  that  one 
human  being  can  do  for  another.  She  has,  literally,  given  him  herself. 
Well  has  it  been  said  that  a  man’s  duty  to  a  faithful  wife  can  never  end 
while  life  lasts.  “When  she  consented  to  be  his  helpmate  and  to  vir¬ 
tually  transform  every  organ  in  her  body  that  his  lineage  may  not  die 
out,  that  he  may  have  children,  healthy,  happy  and  able,  she  has  done 
more  for  him  than  he  can  ever  repay  in  a  lifetime  of  service.  She  has 
taken  the  chance  gladly  and  risked  her  life  for  him.”  Under’ what 
more  tremendous  obligation  could  she  place  him?  She  has  established 
a  right  which  covers  all  things. 

These  greatest  rights — those  of  the  mother  from  the  husband — 
are  so  numerous,  so  all-comprehending,  that  they  cannot  be  given  in 
detail.  They  imply  simply  that  he  should  look  upon  her  as  a  part  of 
himself  and  show  it  instinctively  and  as  a  matter  of  course.  She  has 
the  right  to  claim  from  him  that  he  should  always  be  to  her  as  he  was 
before  marriage,  save  that  the  relationship  is  closer  and  more  familiar. 
What  proportion  of  husbands  remember  this?  How  often  does  there 
come  a  time  after  marriage  when  the  husband  forgets  that  they  are 
one?  How  often  does  he  show  unmistakably  that  he  thinks  his  family 


362 


DUTIES  OF  CHILDEEN  TO  THEIR  PARENTS 


is  a  drag  upon  him,  that  he  is  bearing  a  burden,  that  he  deserves 
especial  credit  for  bearing  it  and  that  what  he  pays  out  for  family  ex¬ 
penses  he  is  “giving?”  There  would  be  short  work  were  he  to  assume 
such  an  attitude  toward  his  partner  in  a  business  venture,  yet  he  is, 
literally,  in  partnership  with  his  wife  in  the  greatest  business  this  life 
affords  and  that  she  put  in  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  capital  in  the 
beginning! 


AS  TO  FINANCIAL  OBLIGATIONS 

If  there  be  anything  a  wife  has  a  right  to  be  fiercely  sensitive  about 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  money,  according  to  the  standard  of  living 
which  may  have  been  adopted.  What  wonder  that  she  should  feel  grief 
and  resentment  when  this  money  is  doled  out  to  her  as  if  it  were  a 
“gift,”  and  not  infrequently  with  grudgingness  and  reluctance  and 
captious  words!  It  is  no  “gift.”  It  is  no  concession.  Except  when 
beyond  the  ordinary  requirements  of  living,  within  the  limit  of  his 
means,  no  man  ever  “gave”  his  wife  anything.  He  is  simply  meeting 
a  wise  obligation  he  has  assumed  and  the  manner  in  which  he  meets  it 
may  be  said  to  afford  a  fair  estimate  of  the  standard  of  the  man.  This 
applies  equally  to  the  man  of  business  affairs,  to  the  farmer  or  to  the 
workman. 

To  say  just  how  the  wife  and  mother  shall  assert  this  right  in  the 
matter  of  money  is  difficult  to  say.  She  should  not  have  to  assert  it.  It 
is  a  delicate  matter  and  must  ever  be  between  the  two,  but  is  referred 
to  here  at  some  length  because  it  is  the  cause  of  so  much  needless  un¬ 
happiness — this  heedless  disregard  for  one  of  the  mother’s  rights. 

REGARD,  PROTECTION  AND  CONSIDERATION 

This  matter  of  being  placed  under  no  personal  obligation,  even 
implied,  is,  however,  but  a  specific  illustration  of  one  of  the  rights  of  a 
good  wife.  Her  rights  are  first  in  all  directions.  Her  rights  include 
the  utmost  limit  of  protection  and  consideration  and  regard  from  all 
about  her,  and  they  are  granted  readily  in  the  household  where  affec- 


DUTIES  OF  CHILDREN  TO  THEIR  PARENTS 


363 


tion  and  intelligence  prevail.  She  should  not  he  the  one  to  think  of  her 
rights — the  good  mother  rarely  is — but  those  about  her — the  husband 
first  and  all  the  time — should  be  the  ones  to  see  to  it  that  they  are 
guarded  with  all  jealousy  and  fairly  thrust  upon  her  if  she  neglects  to 
take  them. 

It  is  the  mother’s  right  that  what  she  is  doing  every  day  should  be 
appreciated  and  that  she  should  be  assisted  in  every  manner  possible. 
She  can  never  be  fully  repaid,  for  hers  is  the  one  position  requiring 
constant  care  and  sacrifice,  but  her  burden  can  be  made  as  easy  as  pos¬ 
sible,  and  that  will  more  than  satisfy  her.  A  wonderful  creature  is 
the  mother. 


MOTHER  THE  HIGHEST  TYPE  OF  HUMANITY 

A  broader  right  of  the  mother, — and  this  is  one  which  she  may 
with  all  propriety  assert  herself,  as  she  is  beginning  to  do  wherever  the 
best  and  highest  thought  prevails — is  that  she  is  looked  upon  by  the 
world  as  being  the  highest  type  in  example  and  in  fruition  of  all  hu¬ 
manity.  She  is  the  extreme  of  what  God  has  made  in  human  beings 
of  the  one  who  is  carrying  out,  better  and  better  with  each  age,  the 
wonderful  scheme  of  creation  and  evolution.  She  is  no  longer  the  mere 
beaten  bearer  of  her  species.  She  is  the  keynote;  she  is  the  producer 
and  hers  is  the  first  guiding  hand. 


THE  FUTURE  OF  THE  CHILD,  THE 
FUTURE  OF  THE  RACE 


The  future  of  the  child  is  the  future  of  the  race.  What  the  future 
of  the  child  shall  be  depends  altogether  upon  the  men  and  women  of 
the  present.  What  thus  becomes  our  vast  responsibility  is  plain  to  see. 
It  rests,  not  upon  parents  alone,  but  upon  the  whole  community. 

There  is  no  greater  problem  before  thinking  and  aspiring  human¬ 
ity  and,  certainly,  no  finer  one  than  that  of  making  the  growing  genera¬ 
tion  what  it  should  be  and  there  is,  as  assuredly,  none  which  appeals 
to  us  with  such  overwhelming  force,  both  with  regard  to  our  own  wel¬ 
fare  and  the  welfare  of  those  who  fill  our  hearts  and  in  whom  our  hopes 
are  centered.  It  is  one  involved  alike  in  the  parental  instinct  and  that 
of  patriotism.  Our  children  must  be  so  reared  as  to  develop  into  good 
sons  and  daughters  and  good  citizens  as  well.  The  keynote  of  all  prog¬ 
ress  and  advancement  in  the  good  of  the  world  is  centered  here.  Each 
generation  should  excel  the  one  preceding  it,  and  can  be  made  to  do  so 
if  the  parents  of  today  and  the  communities  of  today  are  not  neglectful. 
Always  today  must  be  determined  the  nature  of  tomorrow.  Parents 
and  governments  have  a  glorious  responsibility  bestowed  upon  them. 
They  determine  what  all  coming  history  shall  be,  what  shall  be  the 
future  of  any  nation  and  the  degree  of  the  world’s  happiness. 


HOME  LIFE  A  JOYFUL  OCCUPATION 

In  developing  the  intelligence  of  the  children  the  home  may  be 
made  a  place  of  delightful  occupation  while  they  are  becoming  wiser. 
Every  home  should  be  equipped  with  a  little  working  library  of  refer¬ 
ence  books,  always  accessible,  including  a  Bible,  a  dictionary,  an  atlas 

364 


FUTURE  OF  CHILD,  THE  FUTURE  OF  RACE 


365 


and  a  good  encyclopedia,  if  possible.  Then  there  is  something  to  do 
with.  Nothing  delights  a  child  or  a  group  of  children  more  and  noth¬ 
ing  is  more  profitable  to  them,  than  a  search  for  information  on  some 
doubtful  or  disputed  point.  Rightly  used,  these  times  of  search,  with 
the  father  or  mother  as  a  guide  and  assistant,  are  of  infinite  value  in 
developing  a  spirit  of  investigation  and,  not  only  that,  but  one  of  com¬ 
radeship  between  parent  and  child.  They  are  chums  together  in  a  com¬ 
mon  study,  looking  for  “the  why  and  wherefore  of  things.” 

The  parent,  liowever,  as  the  head  of  the  class,  should  endeavor  to 
be  competent  to  lead.  In  fact,  it  is  only  by  keeping  abreast  of  what  is 
finest  in  the  world’s  advance  can  one  become  a  companion  really  good 
enough  for  one’s  children.  What  a  maker  of  all  that  is  worth  having 
the  home  is  in  a  thousand  ways! 

i 

NEED  OF  CARE  AND  WATCHFULNESS 

No,  the  work  of  rearing  children  as  they  should  be  reared  is  not 
so  difficult,  if  there  be  care  and  watchfulness  enough.  Therein  lies  the 
need.  Wishing  lovingly  and  earnestly  to  do  a  thing  is  one  matter; 
knowing  how  to  do  it  is  quite  another.  Constant,  unfailing  study  and 
“thinking  out”  of  things  by  a  parent  is  a  necessity.  There  are  no  two 
children  in  the  world  whose  needs  are  just  alike. 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


The  Human  Body  and  How  it  is  Made — How  to  Take  Care  of 
Yourself — Rules  for  a  Long  and  Happy  Life — 

General  Information 


If  the  question  were  generally  asked,  ‘  ‘  What  is  the  most  important 
factor  in  the  happiness  of  mankind?”  spiritual  matters  not  to  be  con¬ 
sidered  in  the  query,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  tremendous  majority  of 
all  the  intelligent  people  of  the  world  would  reply,  “Health.” 

Indeed,  almost  all  the  other  conditions  of  real  importance  in  life 
depend  more  or  less  on  health,  and  with  health  as  a  possession  almost 
all  misfortunes  can  be  overcome  or  borne  with  patience.  Wealth,  for 
instance,  is  of  very  little  consequence  in  comparison  with  health. 
Without  the  latter  there  can  be  little  real  enjoyment  of  the  former. 
Without  wealth,  however,  health  can  assure  true  happiness,  and  it  is, 
indeed,  one  of  the  most  serviceable  factors  in  enabling  one  to  add 
wealth  to  his  possessions. 

With  these  facts  clearly  recognized  as  they  are,  it  is  not  strange 
that  intelligent  men  and  women  more  and  more  give  their  attention  to 
the  welfare  of  their  bodies.  In  the  most  highly  civilized  countries  the 
advance  of  scientific  surgery  and  discoveries  in  medicine  are  hailed 
with  the  greatest  applause.  In  such  countries  the  subjects  of  sanita¬ 
tion  and  hygiene  are  given  the  closest  attention,  not  only  by  student.s 
and  scientists,  but  by  every  thoughtful  individual.  It  is  being  recog¬ 
nized  that  there  is  no  great  and  impressive  mystery  about  our  physical 
natures  by  virtue  of  which  we  escape  responsibility  for  guarding  our 
own  health  in  every  reasonable  way.  The  thing  to  do  is  to  keep  well 
if  we  possibly  can,  and  when  we  fail,  give  the  best  attention  possible 
to  repairing  the  damage. 


366 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


867 


The  one  who  should  neglect  the  well-known  principles  of  hygiene, 
because  of  faith  that  a  good  doctor  could  cure  any  resulting  sickness, 
would  be  no  less  than  a  fool.  The  one  who  gets  wet  on  a  stormy  day, 
fails  to  change  his  clothes,  neglects  the  cold  which  follows,  contracts 
pneumonia  and  dies,  is  not  “removed  by  an  all-wise  Providence,”  as 
so  many  resolutions  of  sympathy  declare,  but  by  his  own  folly.  It  is 
unjust  to  blame  a  wise  and  beneficent  Power  for  such  results.  The 
household  that  suffers  from  typhoid,  when  drinking  well-water  drained 
from  its  own  cesspool,  needs  sympathy,  indeed,  not  only  for  the  sick¬ 
ness  but  for  the  stupidity  that  placed  the  well  and  the  infection  side 
by  side. 

Thus  it  is  that,  in  arranging  the  order  of  subjects  in  this  book  of 
practical  information  for  everyone,  it  was  readily  decided  to  discuss 
this  subject  with  considerable  detail.  Household  recipes  and  sug¬ 
gestions  appeal  specially  to  women;  stock,  farm  and  orchard  come 
within  the  province  of  men;  but  health,  hygiene  and  the  kindred  sub¬ 
jects  command  attention  with  equal  force,  from  man  and  woman  and 
child. 

Anyone  wdio  adopts  the  policy  of  “getting  all  the  money  he  can, 
and  keeping  all  he  can  get,”  is  certain  to  make  himself  obnoxious  to 
all  about  him,  and  in  the  end  to  become  very  miserable  as  an  embit¬ 
tered,  soured  and  friendless  man,  a  failure  in  life,  however  wealthy  he 
may  become.  But  the  one  who  chooses  the  policy  of  getting  all  the 
health  he  can  and  keeping  all  he  gets,  will  have  a  very  different  tale  to 
tell.  Regular  habits,  careful  living,  sunny  disposition,  a  clear  head,  a 
bright  eye,  a  sound  mind  and  a  sound  body  give  one  a  cheerful  outlook 
on  the  world,  enable  one  to  use  all  his  energies  to  the  best  advantage, 
guarantee  that  he  will  have  real  friends,  assure  happiness,  and  make 
of  one  a  genuine  success  in  life,  whether  with  or  without  the  prosperity 
that  is  very  likely  to  accompany  such  qualities. 

And  what  does  it  involve,  this  intelligent  effort  to  acquire  and  re¬ 
tain  good  health  in  these  bodies  of  ours? 

We  have  here  at  our  disposal  a  marvelous  and  complicated  ma¬ 
chine,  perfect  in  design,  and  imperfect  only  through  some  inherited 


368 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


fault  or  weakness  of  our  ancestors.  Most  of  its  processes  are  auto¬ 
matic,  though  some  are  deliberate,  or  voluntary.  The  automatic 
processes  themselves  may  fail  to  operate,  however,  through  some  care¬ 
lessness  of  our  own  in  details  that  we  must  attend  to  of  our  own  will. 
When  the  voluntary  processes  are  continued  with  great  regularity, 
they  become  so  habitual  that  they  may  be  considered  almost  automatic 
themselves,  and  in  this  state  of  atfairs  the  whole  machine  is  operating 
to  the  best  advantage,  and  will  receive  no  injury  except  from  some 
outside  cause. 

This  wonderful  machine  must  breathe — an  involuntary  or  auto¬ 
matic  action — but  it  must  have  pure  and  wholesome  air,  day  and  night, 
which  is  to  be  made  sure  only  by  our  own  care  and  voluntary  action. 
It  must  be  well  nourished  by  proper  food,  obtained,  selected  and  pre¬ 
pared  by  our  own  voluntary  effort,  but  the  food  then  is  assimilated 
into  our  strength  and  support  by  the  automatic  and  involuntary 
processes  of  digestion.  So  it  is  through  a  long  list  of  details  which 
might  be  named,  that  the  machine  of  our  body  is  kept  in  running  order 
■ — in  health,  as  we  say — ^by  a  combination  of  voluntary  and  involuntary 
processes,  the  latter  depending  on  the  former  in  high  degree  for  their 
success.  All  of  these  details  are  simple  enough  in  themselves  when 
studied  a  little. 

In  normal  and  wholesome  surroundings,  such  as,  fortunately,  most 
people  in  this  country  enjoy,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  avert  disease  by 
proper  care,  and  to  bring  the  system  into  such  condition  that  in  the 
event  of  sickness  the  ailment  can  be  thrown  off  readily  by  proper 
attention.  Carelessness  of  habits  not  only  makes  the  individual  more 
liable  to  the  outbreak  of  disease,  but  weakens  the  power  to  combat  the 
disease  after  it  has  once  gained  a  hold. 

This  chapter  is  not  primarily  a  medical  work  in  the  general  use  of 
that  term.  That  is  to  say,  it  does  not  go  into  the  soientific  and  tech¬ 
nical  details  of  physiology,  nor  yet  the  description  and  treatment  of 
every  disease,  simple  or  otherwise.  Until  all  persons  are  educated  in 
disease  and  medicine,  the  very  best  advice  that  can  be  given  in 
the  event  of  serious  illness  is — Call  a  competent,  progressive,  educated 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


869 


physician  as  promptly  as  possible,  and  yield  absolute  obedience  to  bis 
instructions  and  treatment.  But  these  instructions  will  include  details 
of  nursing  and  diet,  general  care  of  the  health,  and  other  things  which 
are  of  great  importance  in  assisting  the  work  of  the  doctor.  He  will 
welcome  the  evidence  of  knowledge  of  such  things  which  can  he  gained 
from  this  practical  book.  Furthermore,  for  an  intelligent  understand¬ 
ing  of  the  human  body,  how  to  keep  it  in  health,  and  how  to  treat  its 
simple  ailments,  and  the  emergencies  of  all  sorts  that  demand  quick 
attention,  this  department  of  the  present  work  is  confidently  offered  to 
the  reader. 


THE  HUMAN  BODY  AND  ITS  CONSTRUCTION 

Let  us  now  look  briefly  at  the  construction  of  the  human  body  and 
the  duties  which  its  various  parts  are  intended  to  perform,  after  which 
we  will  take  note  of  the  methods  of  preserving  health  in  general,  and 
the  diseases  and  injuries  which  must  be  guarded  against. 

First,  some  explanations  of  the  terms  used  in  these  connections: 
We  divide  all  nature  into  three  classes  of  objects,  those  belonging  to 
the  Animal,  Vegetable  and  Mineral  Kingdoms,  and  all  things  belong 
in  one  or  another  of  these.  They  are  also  divided  into  organic  and 
inorganic  bodies.  The  first  are  those  having  organs  by  which  they 
grow,  such  as  animals  and  plants.  Inorganic  bodies  are  those  which 
are  without  life  of  their  own,  such  as  air,  water,  stone  and  the  like.  All 
inorganic  bodies  are  included  in  the  mineral  kingdom.  Those  organic 
bodies  which  have  no  power  to  feel  are  included  in  the  vegetable  king¬ 
dom,  and  those  which  have  the  power  to  feel  form  the  animal  kingdom. 
There  are  things  in  nature  which  are  so  close  to  this  dividing  line  that 
even  scientists  disagree  as  to  whether  they  belong  to  the  vegetable 
or  animal  kingdom. 

The  parts  of  an  organized  body,  such  as  the  mouth  or  the  foot  of 
an  animal,  the  root  or  the  leaf  of  a  plant,  are  called  the  organs,  and  the 
work  which  an  organ  is  intended  to  perform  is  called  its  function. 
The  material  out  of  which  any  organ  is  composed  is  called  tissue,  and 
in  the  human  body,  for  instance,  at  least  six  different  kinds  of  tissue 

24— L  S 


370 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


are  found,  forming  the  various  organs.  We  will  speak  of  the  various 
solids  and  fluids  of  the  body  by  name,  only  in  connection  with  their 
ailments  and  their  care  hereafter.  The  tissues  themselves  are  com¬ 
posed  of  fifteen  of  the  sixty-five  chemical  elements,  or  simple  sub¬ 
stances,  known  to  exist  in  nature. 

The  various  organs  of  similar  structure  and  common  purpose 
found  in  the  human  body,  when  taken  together,  •  are  called  a  system. 

These  are  the  Osseous  System,  the  Muscular  System,  the  Digestive 
System,  the  Circulatory  System,  the  Respiratory  System  and  the  Nerv¬ 
ous  System.  The  Osseous  System  means  the  skeleton,  which  gives 
shape  to  the  body  and  supports  it,  enables  us  to  move  and  extend  our 
limbs,  and  protects  the  delicate  organs  from  injury.  The  Muscular 
System  is  the  flesh  of  the  body,  forming  a  pad  or  covering  around  the 
bones,  and  thus  also  serving  as  a  protection,  in  addition  to  producing 
at  will  the  motions  of  our  limbs  and  the  controllable  organs.  The  Di¬ 
gestive  System  is  composed  of  those  organs  which  receive,  transmit 
and  dispose  of  our  food,  separating  the  waste  matter  from  the  useful, 
and  giving  the  latter  to  our  nourishment  and  strength.  The  mouth, 
'  the  stomach,  the  intestines,  and  various  other  organs  are  included  in 
this  service. 

The  Circulatory  System  includes  the  heart,  the  arteries,  the  veins 
and  the  capillaries,  those  organs  which  transmit  and  purify  the  blood, 
building  up  all  other  organs  by  this  essential  fluid  which  is  life.  The 
Respiratory  System  is  that  which  transmits  the  air  and  makes  use  of 
it  in  the  body  for  purifying  the  blood,  thus  including  the  lungs,  and 
the  passages  and  valves  which  lead  thither.  The  Nervous  System  is 
that  part  of  the  organism  by  which  the  different  parts  of  the  body  are 
controlled  and  caused  to  work  together,  and  through  which  mind  and 
body  are  connected.  The  brain,  the  spinal  cord,  the  nerves  and  the 
ganglia  of  the  nerves  are  the  organs  of  the  Nervous  System.  They 
have  been  compared  most  appropriately  to  an  intricate  telegraph  sys¬ 
tem,  of  which  the  brain  is  the  head  office  or  directing  intelligence,  the 
spinal  cord  is  the  main  line,  the  nerves  are  the  wires  running  to  every 
station,  and  the  ganglia  are  the  stations  themselves. 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


371 


In  addition  to  these  general  systems  which  have  been  named  we 
must  take  note  also  of  the  skin,  which  covers  the  whole  exterior  of  the 
body;  the  mucous  membrane,  which  covers  the  open  cavities  and  lines 
the  organs;  the  urinary  organs,  which  separate  and  discharge  the 
liquid  waste  of  the  body  and  thus  are  akin  to  the  digestive  system; 
and  the  organs  of  generation  and  reproduction  by  which  the  race  is 
perpetuated. 

PROPER  FOOD  AND  ITS  IMPORTANCE 

To  keep  all  of  these  various  tissues  and  organs  in  health,  as  has 
been  suggested  heretofore,  we  must  be  properly  nourished  by  the  most 
suitable  food.  It  is  of  prime  importance,  therefore,  to  know  the  true 
value  of  foods  in  order  that  we  may  select  wisely.  To  a  higher  degree 
than  is  commonly  realized,  our  physical  welfare  depends  on  this  mat¬ 
ter.  We  are  not  speaking  here  of  food  for  the  sick,  but  of  food  for  the 
well,  not  of  special  delicacies,  but  of  the  every-day  food  of  the  average 
household  the  practical  subject  for  the  practical  man,  woman  or  child. 
Let  us  see  what  we  may  learn  from  the  researches  of  the  wisest 
students  who  have  considered  the  subject.  It  is  not  necessary  here  to 
go  into  the  chemical  analysis  which  has  proved  the  following  facts,  for 
facts  they  are.  They  may  be  accepted  absolutely  as  safe  guides,  with 
the  assurance  that  only  benefit  can  result. 

The  popular  division  of  foods  into  animal  and  vegetable  is  neither 
scientific  nor  satisfactory.  Not  that  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference 
whether  man  lives  on  a  purely  animal  or  purely  vegetable  diet  or  on 
one  derived  from  both  kingdoms,  but  the  differences  depend  not  on 
the  source  whence  the  foods  are  obtained,  but  on  the  proportions  in 
which  the  various  food  elements  are  combined,  and  on  the  digestibility 
and  other  special  properties  of  the  foods  selected.  The  materials  sup¬ 
plied  in  the  form  of  food,  and  digested  and  absorbed  by  the  body,  are 
partly  employed  for  building  up  growing  organs  and  making  good  the 
wear  and  tear — the  loss  of  substances — which  they  are  constantly  un¬ 
dergoing,  and  partly  as  fuel  for  the  production  of  heat  and  of  energy. 

Speaking  roughly,  raw  meat  of  ordinary  quality  consists  of  water 


872 


THE  WAY  TO  PEEFECT  HEALTH 


seventy-live  per  cent,  albumen  and  nitrogenous  matters  twenty  per 
cent,  and  fat  five  per  cent.  Although  meat  becomes  more  tender  by 
keeping,  it  is  more  wholesome  while  fresh,  and  freshness  should  not 
be  sacrificed  for  a  tenderness  really  due  to  the  beginning  of  decompo¬ 
sition.  The  flesh  of  mature  cattle,  that  is,  four  or  five  years  old,  is 
more  nutritious  than  that  of  younger  ones.  It  is  a  matter  of  experience 
that  beef  and  mutton  are  more  easily  digested  than  veal  and  pork. 
Veal  broth,  however,  contains  more  nutritious  matter  than  mutton 
broth  or  beef  tea.  Poultry  and  wild  birds,  if  young,  yield  a  tender  and 
digestible  meat.  Pish  vary  much  in  their  digestibility,  salmon,  for 
instance,  being  utterly  unfit  for  weak  stomachs.  Crabs  and  lobsters 
ai’e  notoriously  indigestible. 

Milk  is  the  sole  nourishment  provided  by  nature  for  the  young 
of  man  and  beast,  and  contains  all  food  stuffs  in  the  best  proportions 
for  the  infant’s  needs.  But  milk  alone  is  not  adapted  to  the  adult. 
Supplemented  by  other  food,  however,  it  is  invaluable  and  not  appre¬ 
ciated  as  it  ought  to  be.  Cheese  is  highly  nutritious,  but  not  very 
digestible.  Eggs  resemble  milk  in  composition,  except  that  they  con¬ 
tain  less  water.  The  nearer  raw  the  more  digestible  they  are,  and 
the  yolk  is  more  so  than  the  white,  which,  when  hard  boiled,  is  the 
most  indigestible  form  of  albumen  known.  The  addition  of  eggs  to 
baked  puddings  is  of  questionable  utility,  and  next  to  a  raw  egg,  well 
beaten,  in  milk  or  water  or  in  soup  or  beef  tea,  not  too  hot,  a  light 
boiled  custard  is  the  best  form  for  invalids. 

From  the  earliest  ages  the  grains  or  cereals  have  formed  a  portion 
of  man’s  diet.  Wheat  has  always  been  the  most  esteemed,  and  some 
varieties  of  it  may  be  grown  in  every  climate  except  the  very  hottest 
and  coldest.  Barley,  rye  and  oats  may  be  grown  much  farther  north, 
but  are  less  digestible.  Oatmeal  cannot  be  made  into  bread,  rye  bread 
is  rapidly  being  displaced  by  wheat,  and  barley  has  almost  entirely 
fallen  into  disuse,  except  for  the  purposes  of  the  brewer  and  distiller. 
In  the  tropics  rice  is  the  chief  cereal.  It  consists  almost  entirely  of 
starch,  and  is  thus  unfit  for  bread  making.  Our  own  corn,  which  we 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


373 


inherit  from  the  Indians  and  have  immensely  improved,  is  of  all  the 
cereals  the  nearest  approach  to  a  perfect  food. 

Among  roots  the  potato  holds  the  most  prominent  place.  Potatoes 
are  wholesome  only  when  the  starch  granules,  which  compose  them, 
are  healthy,  as  shown  by  their  swelling  out  during  boiling,  bursting 
their  covering,  and  converting  themselves  into  a  floury  mass,  easily 
broken  up.  They  contain  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  per  cent  of  nutri¬ 
ment,  but  this  is  almost  entirely  starch,  and  as  a  food  in  combination 
with  meat,  cheese  or  other  vegetables,  they  are  not  equal  to  rice.  Par¬ 
snips,  beets  and  carrots  are  wholesome  and  nutritious,  and  should  be 
used  much  more  than  they  are.  Turnips  are  not  so  valuable.  Cabbages 
and  their  kindred  have  but  little  food  value,  although  the  salts  they 
contain  are  excellent  in  the  preservation  of  health.  As  regards  green 
vegetables  in  general  the  importance  of  having  them  fresh  is  not  suffi¬ 
ciently  realized.  When  they  have  been  cut  some  days  changes  occur 
Just  as  truly  as  in  animal  food,  and  the  freshness  should  be  carefully 
watched,  except  with  those  specially  adapted  for  storing. 

Salads  are  useful  in  maintaining  the  health,  although  many  of 
them  are  very  indigestible,  those  of  radishes,  celery  and  cucumbers 
among  the  list.  Fruits  are  prized  chiefly  for  their  taste.  Grapes  alone, 
among  fresh  fruits,  contain  any  large  proportion  of  food  stuff.  As  an 
aid  to  digestion,  however,  they  all  are  properly  highly  prized.  Fruits 
should  be  fully  ripe,  but  without  any  trace  of  decomposition. 

Stimulants  and  condiments  of  high  seasoning  have  little  food  value 
of  their  own,  but  they  have  value  as  aids  to  digestion  when  used  mod¬ 
erately,  and  in  making  simpler  foods  more  palatable.  Alcoholic 
liquors,  whether  mild  or  strong,  hardly  need  to  be  considered  here. 
It  is  to  be  gravely  doubted  if  such  beverages  are  ever  necessary  or  of 
value  in  the  diet,  and  in  this  place  we  are  not  considering  them  from 
any  other  point  of  view. 

It  is  equally  difficult  to  speak  positively  and  generally  in  reference 
to  tea  and  coffee.  It  is  safe  to  say,  however,  that  many  people  drink 
these  tempting  beverages  to  excess,  with  harm  resulting  to  themselves 
from  it.  Tea  and  coffee  alike  act  as  exciters  of  the  nerve  centers,  ac- 


374 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


ceierating  and  strengthening  the  heart’s  action  and  respiration,  caus¬ 
ing  wakefulness,  and  increasing  the  secretion  of  the  kidneys  and  skin. 
Tea  and  coffee  are  far  superior  to  alcohol  in  enabling  man  to  resist  the 
depressing  influence  of  fatigue  and  exposure  to  cold,  and  are  admirably 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  soldiers  on  the  march  or  men  on  outdoor  night 
duty.  Cocoa,  chocolate  and  their  preparations  contain  some  active  ele¬ 
ments  similar  to  those  of  tea  and  coffee,  but  the  proportion  of  nutritive 
material  is  so  much  greater  that  they  are  to  be  looked  on  rather  as 
food  than  drink. 

The  considerable  use  of  ice  and  iced  drinks  is  to  be  avoided.  Small 
quantities  are  of  service  in  relieving  thirst  and  vomiting,  and  in  cool¬ 
ing  the  body  when  exposed  to  great  heat.  But  since  ice  causes  the 
mucous  membrane  of  the  stomach  to  become  temporarily  pale  and 
bloodless,  it  checks  or  altogether  suspends  the  flow  of  the  gastric  juice. 
Thus  iced  drinks  at  meals  interfere  seriously  with  digestion.  Observe 
also  that  there  is  no  truth  in  the  popular  notion  that  frozen  water  or 
ice  is  always  pure.  Water  is  not  purified  by  freezing,  and  may  be  even 
more  polluted  than  it  was  before. 


CLOTHING  AND  ITS  RELATION  TO  HEALTH 

Having  considered  thus  briefly  the  matter  of  food  and  its  relation 
to  health,  the  question  of  clothing  and  personal  hygiene  now  rises  for 
attention.  Besides  serving  for  covering  and  adornment  and  guarding 
the  body  from  injury,  the  use  of  clothing  is  to  help  in  preserving  the 
proper  animal  heat  in  spite  of  external  changes.  In  health  the  normal 
temperature  of  the  body,  ninety-eight  to  ninety-nine  degrees  Fahren¬ 
heit,  is  invariable.  In  order  that  this  temperature  shall  be  maintained 
with  the  least  strain  on  the  vitality,  the  clothing  should  be  such  that 
heat  is  not  readily  conducted  to  or  from  the  body. 

Cotton  and  linen  keep  off  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  and  favor  the 
loss  of  heat  from  the  body,  but  being  bad  absorbers  of  moisture  they 
are  apt  to  interfere  with  evaporation  from  the  skin,  and  cause  danger¬ 
ous  chills.  Linen  and  cotton  are  good  conductors  of  heat,  especially 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


875 


the  former,  and  do  not  readily  absorb  moisture.  Silk  and  wool  are  bad 
conductors.  Wool  has  also  a  remarkable  power  of  so  completely  ab¬ 
sorbing  moisture  that  it  feels  dry  when  cotton  or  linen  would  be  wet 
and  cold.  Its  value  as  a  non-conductor,  retaining  internal  heat  and  ex¬ 
cluding  external  heat,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  we  wrap  ice  in  blankets 
to  keep  it  from  melting,  and  cover  teapots  with  Avoolen  “cosies”  to 
keep  them  from  getting  cold.  These  qualities  together  render  it  the 
most  perfect  material  for  clothing  under  all  conceivable  circumstances. 

The  young  and  the  old,  the  rheumatic,  all  persons  liable  to  colds 
or  weak  in  lungs,  or  who  have  suffered  from  kidney  diseases,  those  who 
are  exposed  to  great  heat  or  cold  or  are  engaged  in  laborious  exercises, 
ought  to  wear  woolen  next  to  the  skin  and,  indeed,  everyone  would  be 
better  for  doing  so.  Rheumatic  persons  and  those  liable  to  cold  feet 
will  find  it  a  great  luxury  to  sleep  in  blankets  in  winter  instead  of 
sheets,  and  young  children  who  are  apt  to  get  uncovered  at  night 
should  wear  flannel  night-gowns  next  the  skin  in  the  winter  and  over 
cotton  ones  in  the  summer. 

The  color  of  clothing  is  a  matter  of  little  importance  in  the  shade, 
but  in  the  sun  the  best  reflectors  are  coolest,  such  as  white  and  light 
grays,  while  blue  and  black  are  the  worst,  absorbing  the  most  heat. 
Dark  colors  also  absorb  odors  more  than  light  colors  do.  Indeed,  for 
every-day  use  light-colored  garments  of  whatever  material,  provided 
it  can  be  washed,  are  to  be  recommended,  though  dark  colors  are  too 
often  preferred  because  they  do  not  show  the  dirt.  What  woman  would 
like  to  wear  a  cotton  waist  and  skirt  six  months  without  washing?  Yet 
it  would  not  be,  half  so  dirty  as  the  more  absorbent  dark  woolen  dress 
that  she  would  wear  as  long  without  a  scruple. 

Beds  and  bedding  are  likewise  elements  of  importance  in  the  gen¬ 
eral  health,  although  not  always  sufficiently  considered.  Soft,  and 
especially  feather,  beds  are  weakening;  The  harder  a  bed,  consistent 
with  comfort,  the  better.  Good  hair  mattresses  are  the  most  whole¬ 
some.  Coverings  should  be  light,  porous  enough  to  carry  off  the  evap¬ 
orations  from  the  body,  and  yet  bad  conductors  of  heat.  Most  blankets 
are  too  heavy,  and  thick  cotton  counterpanes  are  heavy  without  being 


376 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


warm.  Flannel  nigiit-dresses  are  mucli  preferred  to  cotton  at  all  times, 
both  for  comfort  and  for  health.  Warmer  in  winter,  they  obviate  the 
chill  of  the  cold  sheets ;  while  in  summer  they  prevent  the  more  danger¬ 
ous  chill  when  in  the  early  morning  hours  the  external  temperature 
falls,  when  the  production  of  internal  heat  in  the  body  is  at  its  lowest 
ebb  and  the  skin  perhaps  bathed  in  perspiration — a  chill  which  other¬ 
wise  can  be  avoided  only  by  an  unnecessary  amount  of  bed  clothes. 

THE  BATH  AND  ITS  IMPORTANCE 

The  dirt  of  the  skin  and  underclothing  consists  of  the  sweat  and 
greasy  matters  exuded  from  the  pores,  together  Avith  the  cast-off  sur¬ 
face  of  the  skin  itself,  which  is  continually  scaling  away.  The  im¬ 
portance  of  frequent  bathing  will  be  better  appreciated  when  we  re¬ 
member  what  are  the  functions  of  the  skin,  and  the  amount  of  solid 
and  fluid  matter  excreted  thereby.  The  quantity  varies  greatly  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  temperature  and  moisture  of  the  air,  the  work  done,  and  the 
fluids  drunk,  but  is  probably  never  less  than  five  pounds  or  half  a  gal¬ 
lon  daily,  and  with  hard  labor  and  a  high  temperature  this  amount  may 
be  multiplied  many  times.  From  one  to  two  per  cent  of  this  consists 
of  fatty  salts,  without  taking  into  account  the  skin  scales. 

A  good  cistern,  spring  or  well  of  wholesome  water  is  a  positive 
necessity  on  every  farm.  A  bath-tub  and  its  frequent  use  are  quite 
as  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  farmer. 

In  the  cities,  Avhere  soot  and  dense  coal  smoke  soil  linen  and  mulch 
the  lungs  and  air  passages,  there  is  necessarily  a  greater  regard  for 
cleanliness  on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants  than  may  be  observed  in  the 
country,  where  the  agencies  which  oppose  cleanliness  are  of  an  entirely 
different  composition  and  productive  of  different  results. 

The  farmer  during  the  summer  season  is  lightly  clad — a  straw  or 
hickory  hat,  a  strong  shirt,  a  pair  of  overalls,  socks  and  heavy  shoes 
constituting  his  bodily  protection.  The  absence  of  underwear — some¬ 
times  socks — is  excused  upon  the  ground  that  the  lighter  the  harness 
the  less  energy  is  diverted  from  the  performance  of  work. 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


377 


Clotlied  as  lie  Is,  tlie  farmer  when  working  in  the  fields  or  engaged 
in  any  farm  work,  soon  not  only  gets  his  clothing  soiled,  but  the  pores 
of  his  skin  fill  with  particles  of  dnst  and  this  retards  their  normal  and 
vitally  necessary  functions.  No  vocation  in  life  makes  frequent  bath¬ 
ing  unnecessary.  Farmers  and  miners,  perhaps  more  than  any  other 
class  of  laborers,  who  are  continually  in  contact  with  the  earth,  need 
the  elevating  influence,  physical  and  spiritual,  of  a  daily  bath. 

From  a  moral  and  hygienic  standpoint  the  matter  of  cleanliness, 
which  is  next  to  godliness,  is  of  great  importance,  and  it  is  fine  evi¬ 
dence  of  intellectual  progress  and  spiritual  growth  when  men  use  more 
water  and  soap  at  the  end  of  the  day’s  work. 

For  purposes  of  cleanliness  a  bath  without  soap  and  friction  is 
perfectly  useless,  and  warm  water  is  more  effectual  than  cold.  The 
shock  of  a  cold  plunge  or  sponge  bath,  however,  has  a  powerful  invig¬ 
orating  influence  on  the  nervous  system,  and  helps  it  guard  against  the 
risks  of  catching  cold.  The  purpose  of  health  and  cleanliness  alike 
will  be  best  served  by  the  daily  bath  with  cold  water  and  once  a  week 
with  warm. 

Speaking  of  cold  baths,  we  may  take  note  of  a  popular  error  as  to 
what  this  means.  The  temperature  of  the  body  is  always  a  little  under 
one  hundred  degrees  F.  If,  then,  in  summer,  a  bath  at  sixty  degrees 
F.,  or  forty  degrees  below  that  of  the  body,  is  considered  cold  and  gives 
the  desired  amount  of  shock,  it  will  do  the  same  in  winter,  and  to  insist 
on  plunging  into  water  still  colder  than  that  is,  to  say  the  least  un¬ 
reasonable.  The  cold  bath,  then,  is  one  at  forty  degrees  below  the  tem¬ 
perature  of  the  blood,  and  is  the  same  in  January  as  in  July.  To  bathe 
in  water  from  which  the  ice  is  broken,  as  some  do,  is  a  result  of  misun¬ 
derstanding  or  folly,  and  may  be  followed  by  dangerous  consequences. 

It  is  dangerous  to  bathe  after  a  full  meal,  and  also  when  fasting. 
An  hour  or  two  after  breakfast  is  a  good  time,  but  if  one  wishes  to 
bathe  earlier,  a  bit  of  food  should  be  taken  first.  Again  it  is  dangerous 
to  bathe  when  exhausted  by  fatigue,  but  the  glow  of  moderate  exer¬ 
cise  is  a  decided  advantage.  A  light  refreshment  and  a  short  run  or 
brisk  walk  are  the  best  preparations  for  a  swim,  which  should  not  be 


378 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


prolonged  until  fatigue  and  chill  are  felt,  and  should  be  followed  by  a 
rub-down,  speedy  dressing  and  a  quick  walk  home. 

When  the  resisting  and  rallying  power  and  the  circulation  gen¬ 
erally  are  weak,  as  shown  by  shivering,  coldness  of  the  extremities, 
and  sense  of  exhaustion,  river  or  sea  bathing  should  be  given  up.  So, 
too,  persons  whose  lungs  and  hearts  are  weak,  and  above  all  those  who 
have  any  actual  diseases  of  those  organs,  should  not  attempt  it.  There 
is  a  general  tendency  among  those  who  enjoy  outdoor  bathing  to  stay 
in  the  water  too  long.  Boys  in  summer  remain  for  hours  at  lake  or 
river  side,  most  of  the  time  in  the  water.  This  is  an  exceedingly  weak¬ 
ening  practice.  Half  an  hour  is  ample  for  all  the  benefit  that  can  be 
derived  from  such  a  swim,  and  a  longer  time  in  the  water  is  apt  to  be 
distinctly  injurious. 

HOT  WEATHER  BATH  SUGGESTIONS 

A  good  health  preservative,  especially  in  summer  and  in  warm 
climates,  is  to  sponge  the  body  with  water  which  contains  a  small 
amount  of  ammonia  or  other  alkali.  The  ammonia  combines  with  the 
oil  or  grease  thrown  out  by  the  perspiration,  forming  a  soap  which 
is  easily  removed  from  the  skin  with  warm  water,  leaving  the  pores 
open  and  thus  promoting  health  and  comfort. 


SLEEP  AND  ITS  VALUE 

No  general  rule  can  be  laid  down  as  to  the  number  of  hours  which 
should  be  passed  in  sleep,  since  the  need  of  sleep  varies  with  age, 
temperament,  and  the  way  in  which  the  waking  hours  have  been  em¬ 
ployed.  The  infant  slumbers  away  the  greater  part  of  its  time.  Young 
children  should  sleep  from  six  to  seven  in  the  evening,  until  morning, 
and  for  the  first  three  or  four  years  of  their  life  should  also  rest  in  the 
middle  of  the  day.  Up  to  their  fourteenth  or  fifteenth  year  the  hour 
of  retiring  should  not  be  later  than  nine  o’clock,  while  adults  require 
from  seven  to  nine  hours.  Some  can  do  with  two  or  three  hours  less 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


379 


than  this,  but  they  are  so  few  that  they  offer  no  examples  for  us  to  fol¬ 
low. 

Insufficient  sleep  is  one  of  the  crying  evils  of  the  day.  The  want 
of  proper  rest  of  the  nervous  system  produces  a  lamentable  condition, 
a  deterioration  in  both  body  and  mind.  This  sleepless  habit  is  begun 
even  in  childhood,  when  the  boy  or  girl  goes  to  school  at  six  or  seven 
years  of  age.  Sleep  is  persistently  put  off  up  to  manhood  and  woman¬ 
hood. 

Persons  who  are  not  engaged  in  any  severe  work,  whether  bodily 
or  mental,  require  less  sleep  than  those  who  are  working  hard.  Muscu¬ 
lar  fatigue  of  itself  induces  sleep,  and  the  man  who  labors  tliiis  awakes 
refreshed.  But  brain  work  too  often  causes  wakefulness,  although 
sleep  is  even  more  necessary  for  the  repair  of  brain  than  of  muscular 
tissue.  In  such  cases  the  attention  should  be  forcibly  withdrawn  from 
study  for  some  time  before  retiring  to  rest,  and  turned  to  some  light 
reading,  conversation  or  rest  before  going  to  bed.  A  short  brisk  walk 
out  of  doors  just  before  bed  time  may  aid  the  student  in  inducing  sleep. 
Drugs  should  be  avoided. 

After  a  heavy  supper,  either  sleep  or  digestion  must  suffer,  but  the 
person  who  goes  to  bed  hungry  will  not  have  sound  and  refreshing 
sleep.  If  one  works  after  supper,  through  a  long  evening,  he  should 
eat  a  light  lunch  of  some  sort  an  hour  or  two  before  bed  time. 

Ordinarily  persons  do  best  to  retire  at  ten  or  eleven,  and  the  habits 
of  society  which  require  later  hours  are  to  be  regretted.  Brain  work, 
however,  after  midnight  is  most  exhausting,  and  though  sometimes 
brilliant,  would  probably  be  better  still  if  diverted  to  earlier  hours. 
Whatever  be  the  explanation,  it  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  day  and 
night  cannot  be  properly  exchanged.  About  one  or  two  o’clock  in  the 
morning  the  heart’s  action  sinks,  and  nature  points  to  the  necessity  for 
rest.  Sleep  in  the  day  time  does  not  compensate  for  the  loss  of  that  at 
proper  time,  and  slumbers  prolonged  to  a  late  hour  do  not  refresh  the 
mind  or  body  as  does  sleep  between  the  hours  of  eleven  and  six  or 
seven,  the  normal  period  for  rest. 


380 


THE  WAY  TO  PERFECT  HEALTH 


Old  persons  require,  as  a  rule,  less  sleep  tlian  those  of  middle  age, 
just  as  they  require  less  food,  because  their  nutritive  processes  are 
less  active  than  when  they  were  younger,  and  perhaps  because  their 
mental  efforts  also  are  less  forced  and  attended  by  less  exertion  and 
more  deliberation.  Women,  generally  speaking,  require  more  sleep 
than  men,  at  least  under  like  circumstances,  apparently  because  in 
their  case  the  same  efforts  involve  greater  fatigue. 


VENTILATION  OF  BEDROOMS 

Rooms  which  are  to  be  slept  in  after  having  been  occupied  dur¬ 
ing  a  whole  evening  must  be  thoroughly  ventilated  before  the  occupant 
prepares  for  bed.  Doors  and  windows  must  be  thrown  open  for  several 
minutes,  the  gas  or  lamp  put  out,  and  the  air  completely  changed, 
no  matter  how  cold  it  may  be  outside.  This  is  the  only  way  to  obtain 
refreshing  sleep.  On  going  to  bed  the  usual  ventilating  arrangements 
should  then  be  followed,  but  the  great  point  is  to  change  the  air  thor¬ 
oughly  first. 


REGULARITY  OF  HABITS 

The  importance  of  regularity  and  punctuality  in  every  circum¬ 
stance  of  daily  life  is  not  sufficiently  realized.  The  more  often  and 
regularly  any  act  is  performed  the  more  automatic  it  tends  to  become, 
and  the  less  effort,  whether  mental  or  physical,  attends  its  perform¬ 
ance.  This  is  a  matter  of  daily  experience  and  observation,  and  is  true 
not  only  of  mental  work  and  manual  or  mechanical  exercises,  but  of 
the  organic  functions  of  the  body.  Quite  apart  from  the  harm  done 
by  too  frequent  eating  or  too  prolonged  periods  between  meals  or  want 
of  rest,  the  brain  finds  itself  ready  for  sleep,  the  stomach  for  digestion 
and  the  bowels  for  action  at  the  same  hour  every  day,  when  these  acts 
are  performed  with  unbroken  punctuality,  and  the  strain  upon  the 
system  to  adjust  itself  tO  new  conditions  is  therefore  reduced  to  a 
minimum. 


GENERAL  HEALTH  CONDITIONS 


Guard  Your  Water  Supply — How  Diseases  Are  Classified — How  to  Pre¬ 
vent  Contagion — Care  of  the  Sick  Room — Disinfection,  Its  Importance 
and  Its  Methods — Period  of  Isolation  or  Quarantine — Duty  of  All 
Households  Where  Sickness  Has  Invaded,  to  Guard  Others  Against 
Its  Spread. 

Man  cannot  preserve  liis  healtli  entirely  by  his  own  caution  as  to 
his  food  and  personal  habits.  His  surroundings  enter  into  the  matter 
at  all  times.  By  this  is  meant  the  house  in  which  he  lives,  its  situation 
and  conditions,  as  well  as  the  community  itself.  Fortunately,  in  this 
country  we  have  not  yet  become  so  overcrowded  as  to  forbid  ordinary 
care  in  the  matters  of  drainage,  light,  ventilation  and  other  requisites. 
Americans  should  congratulate  themselves  that  their  ample  country 
and  general  prosperity  enable  them  to  regulate  their  food,  their  habits 
and  the  conditions  around  them  in  high  degree.  At  the  same  time  the 
fact  that  these  things  are  so  generally  within  our  control  places  upon 
us  the  obligation  to  do  what  we  can  for  the  community  to  maintain  the 
general  health. 

Let  us  note  now,  briefly,  some  points  of  primary  importance  in  the 
conditions  that  assure  general  health.  Air,  warmth  and  light  must  be 
provided  for  the  dwelling.  In  cities  we  cannot  always  choose,  but  in 
smaller  communities  and  in  the  country  we  can  in  large  degree  control 
such  things  for  ourselves.  Some  things  require  only  to  be  suggested 
to  be  clearly  understood.  A  house  should  stand  where  the  character 
of  the  soil  and  the  contour  of  the  surface  will  provide  the  best  drain¬ 
age.  Hollows  should  be  avoided.  When  a  house  is  built  on  a  hillside 
the  ground  should  not  be  dug  out  so  that  a  cliff  rises  immediately  be¬ 
hind.  Trees  may  afford  valuable  shelter,  not  only  from  cold  winds, 
but  from  fogs.  But  it  is  not  generally  wise  to  have  them  close  around 

381 


382 


GENEEAL  HEALTH  INSTEUCTIONS 


a  cLvelling,  at  least  in  large  numbers,  since  they  impede  the  free  circu¬ 
lation  of  the  surrounding  air,  and  retain  dampness  beneath  their  shade. 
In  the  country  a  house  may  be  sheltered  from  cold  winds  on  the  side 
from  which  they  prevail,  by  trees.  Exposure  of  each  side  of  a  house 
in  succession  to  the  rays  of  the  sun  helps  to  keep  the  outer  walls  dry, 
to  waiTU  it  in  winter  and  to  aid  ventilation  in  the  summer.  The  north 
wall  may  be  made  with  advantage  a  dead  wall,  and  ventilating  pipes 
and  soil  pipes  may  be  carried  up  through  it,  but  chimneys  carried  up 
through  a  north  wall,  being  warmed  with  difficulty  and  apt  to  smoke, 
should  not  project  but  be  built  inside  the  house.  Attics  with  slanting 
ceilings  and  dormer  windows  are  cold  in  winter  and  hot  in  summer. 

Once  occupied,  the  most  important  thing  in  the  house  is  fresh  air. 
The  most  common  impurity  in  the  atmosphere  of  rooms  is  carbonic 
acid  gas,  which  is  thrown  off  by  the  lungs  of  the  occupants,  and  must 
be  disposed  of  by  ventilation  in  order  that  health  shall  be  assured. 
The  lamps  or  gas  lights  used  in  the  room  likewise  give  off  carbonic 
acid,  which  is  formed  at  the  expense  of  the  oxygen  of  the  air,  the  vital 
element,  which  we  require  to  breathe.  Crowded  rooms,  or  any  rooms 
improperly  ventilated,  become  tainted  in  this  manner,  and  the  head¬ 
aches  and  faintness  which  we  experience  under  such  circumstances  are 
direct  and  natural  results  of  carbonic  acid  poisoning.  School  rooms 
are  particularly  trying  upon  pupils  and  teachers,  unless  their  ventila¬ 
tion  is  especially  guarded.  It  is  considered  that  the  proper  degree  of 
purity  in  the  air  of  a  room  can  be  maintained  only  by  introducing  at 
least  2,500  cubic  feet  of  pure  air  per  hour  for  each  person,  this  being  a 
virtual  minimum.  In  mines  it  has  been  noticed  that  the  men  require 
not  less  than  6,000  cubic  feet  per  hour,  and  that  when  the  quantity  falls 
to  4,000  cubic  feet  there  is  a  serious  falling  off  in  the  work  done.  Mani¬ 
festly  the  better  and  tighter  the  building  the  more  need  there  is  for 
special  means  of  ventilation. 

In  the  days  when  open  fireplaces  were  almost  the  only  means  of 
heating  houses  they  were  of  great  value  in  aiding  ventilation.  Now¬ 
adays  our  stoves,  radiators  and  furnaces  do  not  help  us  in  this  matter, 
and  we  must  take  additional  pains  to  see  that  ventilation  is  provided 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


383 


in  some  other  way.  Of  course  the  simplest  and  most  perfect  method 
is  to  permit  the  free  passage  of  the  wind  through  open  doors  and  win¬ 
dows.  Every  room  should  have  its  air  thus  completely  renewed  at 
least  once  a  day.  The  mere  renewal  is  done  in  a  few  minutes,  but  a 
longer  time  is  required  to  dislodge  the  organic  vapors  and  other  im¬ 
purities  that  lurk  in  the  corners  and  behind  furniture.  In  schools  and 
work  shops  this  should  be  done  during  the  intervals  for  meals,  and  in 
churches  between  services.  But  in  our  climate  it  is  not  possible  to  have 
windows  and  doors  open  during  all  the  time  a  room  is  occupied,  ex¬ 
cept  in  very  warm  weather.  It  is  seldom,  however,  that  the  window 
of  a  bedroom  cannot  be  opened  for  a  few  inches  all  night  without  direct 
benefit  to  the  occupant  of  the  room.  His  bed,  of  course,  must  not  be 
immediately  in  the  draught.  Curved  pipes,  ventilating  shafts  and 
slides  under  the  windows  are  substitutes  easy  to  use  when  windows 
cannot  be  actually  opened. 


GUARD  YOUR  WATER  SUPPLY 

Water  supplies  differ  greatly  in  purity  and  composition,  and  are 
of  the  utmost  importance  in  their  effect  upon  the  general  health  of  a 
household.  There  is  nothing  which  requires  to  be  guarded  more  care¬ 
fully.  Absolutely  pure  water  is  almost  unknown.  Rain  water  collected 
in  open  countries  is  the  purest,  though  even  it  takes  up  matters  in  its 
passage  through  the  air,  and  in  towns  may  be  strongly  acid.  All  wa¬ 
ters  which  have  been  in  contact  with  the  soil  dissolve  out  of  it  numer¬ 
ous  inorganic  and  organic  substances.  AVaters  are  described  as  hard 
or  soft,  hardness  being  the  popular  expression  for  the  property  of  not 
easily  forming  a  lather  with  soap.  It  is  due  to  the  presence  of  salts  of 
lime  and  magnesia.  Hard  waters,  if  their  hardness  be  not  excessive, 
are  agreeable  and  wholesome  for  drinking,  but  not  well  adapted  for 
laundry  or  bathing  purposes.  They  tend  to  harden  vegetables  cooked 
in  them,  and  do  not  make  as  good  tea  as  soft  water.  Rain  water  is,  of 
course,  the  softest,  but  as  a  rule  lakes  yield  waters  also  quite  soft. 


384. 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTEUCTIO'NS 


AVlieii  a  good  and  wholesome  water  cannot  be  obtained  from  springs 
or  rivers,  as  in  malarial  districts,  and  when  there  is  reasonable  ground 
for  thinking  the  ordinary  sources  are  contaminated  by  epidemics,  it  is 
well  to  fall  back  on  the  rainfall  for  drinking  purposes,  with  special 
care  that  it  is  collected  in  a  cleanly  manner. 

Surface  wells  are  always  to  be  viewed  with  suspicion  when  they 
are  in  the  vicinity  of  stables  and  cesspools,  farm  yards,  cemeteries  and 
anywhere  in  the  towns.  The  filtration  of  the  water  through  the  soil  re¬ 
moves  the  suspended  matters,  so  that  it  may  be  clear  enough  to  the 
eye,  but  it  has  no  power  to  remove  impurities  actually  dissolved.  The 
eye  cannot  be  trusted  to  judge  the  impurities  of  drinking  water.  Wa¬ 
ter  which  appears  absolutely  clear  may  be  unwholesome  in  the  ex¬ 
treme,  and  water  with  sediment  floating  in  it  may  be  in  no  way  un¬ 
wholesome.  Nothing  but  an  analysis  of  the  water  can  settle  this  with 
absolute  certainty.  Deep  wells  and  artesian  wells  which  penetrate  the 
surface  strata  are  likely  to  be  safe.  Marsh  waters  carry  malaria  and 
should  never  be  drunk  without  boiling.  Indeed  suspicious  water  of  all 
sorts  may  be  made  safe  by  boiling,  although  it  is  not  sufficient  always 
merely  to  bring  it  to  a  boil.  Thirty  minutes  above  the  boiling  point  is 
a  safe  rule  to  follow.  Typhoid,  diphtheria,  dysentery,  cholera,  diar¬ 
rhea  and  other  dangerous  diseases  are  caused  by  impure  water,  either 
by  suspended  mineral  matters  acting  as  irritants,  by  suspended  vege¬ 
table  and  animal  matters,  or  by  dissolved  animal  impurities.  Sewer 
gases  dissolved  in  water,  in  addition  to  these  diseases,  cause  sore 
throats,  boils  and  other  ailments. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  water  closets,  stable  yards,  manure 
piles,  decaying  kitchen  slops  and  all  sorts  of  filth  are  responsible  for 
many  of  the  most  serious  diseases,  either  by  draining  into  the  well  and 
so  contaminating  the  water  supply,  or  by  direct  breeding  of  disease 
germs  carried  as  dust  and  inhaled.  Health  is  one  of  the  rewards  for 
household  cleanliness  of  the  most  careful  kind. 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


885 


HOW  DISEASES  ARE  CLASSIFIED 

In  one  sense  most  diseases  are  preventable,  if  all  the  circumstances 
which  tend  to  spread  them  could  be  absolutely  controlled  by  a  single 
wise  authority,  and  if  all  the  physiological  laws  would  be  obeyed  by 
all  persons  at  all  times.  But  as  this  happy  condition  is  not  in  effect, 
we  have  to  reckon  with  various  kinds  of  diseases,  as  well  as  the  acci¬ 
dents  and  injuries  which  come  to  us  in  health.  The  various  diseases 
are  classified  into  general  groups. 

Endemic  diseases  are  those  which  are  constantly  present  in  a  com¬ 
munity  because  of  certain  unfavorable  conditions,  such  as  malaria  in 
swampy  regions,  rheumatism  from  bad  climatic  conditions,  and  dis¬ 
eases  resulting  from  unhealthy  employments.  Miasmic  diseases  are 
those  due  to  conditions  of  the  soil,  and  comprise  the  various  forms  of 
intermittent  fevers,  agues  and  the  like.  Infectious  diseases,  on  the 
other  hand,  belong  to  the  people,  and  not  to  the  place.  They  are  com¬ 
municated  from  one  person  to  another  through  the  air,  or  by  means  of 
infected  articles  of  clothing,  etc.,  and  they  attack  the  strong  and 
healthy,  no  less  than  the  weak.  Among  such  are  smallpox,  scarlet 
fever,  measles,  etc.  Various  branches  of  infectious  diseases  are  recog¬ 
nized  in  addition,  as  combining  some  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
classes  already  named.  For  instance,  erysipelas  and  other  blood  poi¬ 
sons  are  generated  with  the  body  of  the  individual  who,  so  to 
speak,  infects  himself  and  may  then  infect  others.  Typhoid,  cholera 
and  yellow  fever  are  miasmic  diseases,  but  they  are  also  capable  of  be¬ 
ing  carried  by  human  intercourse,  infected  clothes,  polluted  water,  etc., 
within  certain  limits  of  space  and  time.  Hydrophobia,  glanders  and 
such  diseases  are  communicated  only  by  actual  contact  of  body.  Rick¬ 
ets  and  scurvy  are  preventable,  though  not  communicable  diseases, 
being  direct  results  of  mal-nutrition  or  imperfect  nourishment,  and 
consequently  are  diseases  of  diet. 

Bacteria  are  those  minute  organisms  which  under  various  names 
are  the  active  causes  not  only  of  diseases  but  of  all  putrefaction,  fer¬ 
mentation  and  like  changes  in  dead  organic  matter.  Like  all  living 

25—1,  S 


386 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


things  they  may  be  killed,  and  on  this  is  based  the  whole  theory  of  dis¬ 
infection.  Some  are  more  hardy  than  others,  under  conditions  which 
are  frequently  supposed  to  be  unfavorable  to  them.  Merely  to  destroy 
an  unpleasant  odor  or  to  admit  fresh  air  into  a  room  does  not  mean  to 
disinfect,  and  it  is  necessary  to  understand  this  clearly  in  the  effort 
to  purify  rooms  in  the  event  of  infection. 

Contagion  is  communicated  sometimes  with  the  utmost  ease,  if  the 
new  victim  be  in  a  receptive  condition,  and  in  the  presence  of  any 
disease,  even  the  most  simple,  it  is  well  to  take  every  precaution.  The 
mucous  surfaces  are  peculiarly  ready  to  absorb  infection  of  many 
kinds.  Measles  is  easily  absorbed  from  pocket  handkerchiefs,  as  are 
also  scarlet  fever,  whooping-cough  and  other  diseases.  By  inhalation 
through  the  nostrils  or  mouth,  scarlet  fever,  measles,  whooping-cough, 
mumps,  diphtheria,  dysentery,  cholera  and  even  pneumonia  and  men¬ 
ingitis  may  be  communicated.  By  eating  or  drinking  something  which 
contains  the  germs  of  cholera,  typhoid,  malaria,  tuberculosis  or  con¬ 
sumption,  diphtheria  and  scarlet  fever,  these  diseases  are  communi¬ 
cated. 


HOW  TO  PREVENT  CONTAGION 

It  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  not  enough  attention  is  paid  to  isola¬ 
tion  in  times  of  sickness.  There  is  too  much  visiting  in  the  sick  room, 
too  many  people  share  the  care  of  the  patient,  the  nurse  mingles  too 
freely  with  other  members  of  the  family,  and  there  is  not  enough  care 
to  keep  the  soiled  bedding,  garments  and  refuse  of  the  sick  room  abso¬ 
lutely  separated  from  that  of  the  rest  of  the  house.  Scarlet  fever  is  a 
noteworthy  instance  of  a  disease  which  constantly  spreads  by  careless¬ 
ness.  Just  as  long  as  the  sealing  or  shedding  of  the  outer  skin  con¬ 
tinues  contagion  may  be  carried,  for  it  is  these  scales  which  bear  it. 
It  is  nothing  less  than  criminal,  therefore,  to  permit  the  patient  who  is 
recovering  to  mix  with  other  persons,  except  those  who  have  been 
caring  for  him  already.  In  the  early  stages  of  the  disease  the  infection 
is  chiefly  in  the  breath,  and  in  the  secretion  of  the  nostrils.  During  the 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


387 


disease  pocket  handkerchiefs  should  never  be  used,  soft  linen  or  cotton 
rags  being  substituted  and  immediately  burned. 

Most  of  the  same  things  are  true  as  to  measles,  whooping-cough, 
mumps  and  German  measles,  which  are  constantly  spread  by  sheer 
carelessness  because  people  do  not  realize  the  obligation  resting  upon 
them  to  guard  others  from  contact  with  disease.  These  ailments  are 
highly  infectious  before  they  are  certainly  recognized,  and  for  that 
reason  it  is  not  possible  always  to  isolate  cases  in  time,  but  at  least 
after  the  fact  is  clearly  understood  there  should  be  no  further  careless¬ 
ness. 

Another  prevalent  disease  in  which  carelessness  is  responsible  for 
much  of  its  spreading  is  tuberculosis,  phthisis,  or  consumption,  as  it 
is  more  familiarly  known.  It  is  not  possible  yet  to  isolate  every  person 
suffering  with  this  insidious  disease,  nor  is  that  suggested.  But  at 
least  it  may  be  urged  that  every  such  sufferer  shall  thoughtfully  guard 
in  every  way  in  his  power  against  communicating  it  to  his  own  neigh¬ 
bors  and  family.  The  bacilli,  or  bacteria,  of  consumption  swarm  in  the 
spittle  of  the  patient,  and  are  diffused  by  the  wind  as  dust  as  soon  as 
they  are  dried.  To  guard  against  infection  from  this  cause,  spittoons 
should  be  used,  which  can  be  absolutely  disinfected,  or  cloths  which 
can  be  promptly  burned. 

Smallpox  is  perhaps  the  most  infectious  of  diseases.  Yet  in  vac¬ 
cination  we  have  a  means  of  protection  which  we  have  not  in  any  other. 
As  long  as  a  large  unvaccinated  population  exists,  however,  we  shall 
have  epidemics  from  time  to  time.  Before  the  introduction  of  vaccina¬ 
tion  nearly  everyone  had  smallpox,  just  as  now  almost  all  persons  have' 
measles  at  some  time  or  other.  The  heaviest  mortality  occurred  within 
the  first  five  or  ten  years  of  life,  the  deaths  in  later  periods  being  very 
few,  since  the  population  had  mostly  been  rendered  immune  by  having 
had  it  already. 

Measles  is  a  well-defined  disease,  intensely  infectious,  occurring 
but  once  in  a  lifetime.  It  is  very  rarely  fatal,  nearly  all  the  deaths 
credited  to  it  being  really  due  to  bronchitis  and  inflammation  of  the 
lungs,  the  results  of  neglect  and  exposure  to  cold.  No  age  is  exempt. 


388 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


The  only  reason  why  it  is  looked  on  as  a  disease  of  childhood  is  that 
being  in  the  highest  degree  infectious  from  the  beginning,  when  its 
nature  is  not  suspected,  few  children  in  the  schools  can  hope  to  escape 
it,  but  if  by  chance  they  do,  they  are  just  as  susceptible  to  it  in  after¬ 
life. 

Whooping-cough  is  a  highly  infectious  disease,  occurring  but  once 
in  a  lifetime,  but  at  any  age,  though  most  frequently  in  childhood. 
The  frequent  belief  that  children  suffering  from  whooping-cough 
should  be  as  much  as  possible  in  the  open  air  is  an  entirely  mistaken 
one,  as  it  leads  not  only  to  continuing  the  disease  longer,  but  to  danger 
of  bronchitis  and  pneumonia.  As  in  diphtheria  and  scarlet  fever  the 
mucus  is  the  chief  vehicle  of  contagion,  and  pocket  handkerchiefs 
should  be  forbidden,  pieces  of  soft  rag  being  substituted  and  burned  as 
soon  as  used. 

Typhoid  or  enteric  fever  is  slow  and  uncertain  in  its  onset,  a  full 
month  in  dnration,  and  the  return  of  health  is  usually  tedious.  It  is 
like  diphtheria,  directly  a  result  of  unsanitary  conditions.  Danger  of 
direct  infection  from  the  patient  is  slight,  but  the  poison  remains  in 
the  evacuations  from  the  bowels  and  is  propagated  by  them.  By  this 
means  a  reservoir  or  river  has  been  known  to  infect  a  whole  town. 
Broken  or  defective  drains,  the  entrance  of  sewer  gas  into  houses,  wells 
polluted  by  cesspool  drainage,  and  milk  diluted  with  infected  water, 
are  among  the  principal  means  of  spreading  the  disease.  It  is  an  abso¬ 
lute  rule  that  all  bedding  which  becomes  soiled  should  be  destroyed, 
and  the  refuse  of  the  sick  room  should  be  instantly  disinfected  and 
removed  from  the  dwelling. 


CARE  OF  THE  SICK  ROOM 

Although  it  is  quite  possible  that  few  may  be  able  to  follow  every 
instruction  or  precaution  advised  to  guard  against  the  spread  of  dis¬ 
eases,  we  may  at  least  outline  the  conditions  to  be  aimed  at  and  se¬ 
cured  as  nearly  as  possible.  In  spite  of  the  additional  labor  that  it 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


889 


makes,  tlie  ideal  place  for  a  sick  room  in  a  private  house  is  as  far  from 
the  ground  as  possible.  To  be  of  any  service  at  all  isolation  must  be 
real  and  complete.  A  room  should  be  selected  in  the  topmost  story,  the 
door  kept  closed,  a  fire,  large  or  small,  according  to  the  weather,  kept 
burning,  and  the  windows  open  as  much  as  possible.  Even  in  the  win¬ 
ter  this  can  be  done  without  danger  under  most  circumstances  by  low¬ 
ering  the  upper  sash  and  breaking  the  draught  by  a  blind  or  a  screen. 
The  staircase  and  hall  windows  should  be  kept  open  day  and  night. 
The  other  inmates  of  the  house  should  keep  their  own  rooms  thor¬ 
oughly  ventilated.  The  persons  nursing  the  patient  should  on  no  ac¬ 
count  mix  with  other  members  of  the  family,  or  if  that  cannot  be  helped 
they  should  take  off  their  dresses  in  the  sick  room,  and  after  washing 
their  hands  and  faces,  put  on  other  dresses  kept  hanging  outside  the 
room,  or  in  an  adjoining  apartment. 

All  dishes  used  in  the  room  should  be  washed  separately,  and  not 
with  others  in  the  kitchen.  The  room  itself,  except  in  case  of  measles 
and  whooping-cough,  the  poison  of  which  does  not  retain  its  vitality 
for  any  length  of  time,  should  be  as  scantily  furnished  as  possible,  con¬ 
taining  nothing  which  can  retain  infection.  All  woolen  carpets,  cur¬ 
tains  and  bed  hangings  should  be  removed,  and  only  wooden  or  cane- 
bottomed  chairs  kept.  There  should  be  no  sofa,  and  iron  bedsteads  are 
better  than  wood.  A  straw  mattress  of  little  value,  which  may  be  de¬ 
stroyed  afterwards,  is  better  than  a  hair  one,  which  can  be  disinfected, 
but  feather  beds  and  such  coverings  should  be  absolutely  forbidden. 

In  scarlet  fever,  diphtheria,  smallpox  and  typhoid,  all  soiled  cloth¬ 
ing  and  bedding  should  be  immediately  put  into  an  earthenware  vessel, 
containing  a  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate  (one  drachm  to  a  gallon 
of  water)  and  left  to  soak  for  some  hours  before  being  washed.  On 
being  taken  from  this  disinfecting  solution  they  must,  even  at  risk  of 
spoiling  flannels,  be  thrown  into  boiling  water  and  boiled  for  some  min¬ 
utes  before  soaping  and  washing.  No  infected  clothes  should,  under 
any  circumstances,  be  sent  out  of  the  house,  unless  all  of  these  precau¬ 
tions  are  absolutely  guarded. 

In  cases  of  typhoid  and  scarlet  fever  the  vessel  which  receives  the 


390 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


passages  from  the  bowels  should  have  in  it  a  solution  of  corrosive 
sublimate  or  of  carbolic  acid.  The  contents  then  should  be  stirred  with 
a  poker  before  being  poured  into  the  water  closet,  and  the  same  disin¬ 
fectant  should  be  sprinkled  liberally  into  the  closet. 

After  the  peeling  in  scarlet  fever  or  the  shedding  of  scabs  in  small¬ 
pox  has  set  in,  the  patient  should  take,  at  intervals  of  three  or  four 
days,  hot  baths  with  soft  soap,  the  hair,  previously  cut  short,  being 
well  scrubbed  with  the  same.  In  scarlet  fever  and  diphtheria  the 
mouth  and  throat  should  be  frequently  sprayed,  washed  out  or  gargled 
with  a  pretty  strong  solution  of  permanganate  of  potash  or  a  weak  one 
of  chlorinated  soda. 

DISINFECTION,  ITS  IMPORTANCE  AND  ITS  METHODS 

There  are  few  subjects  on  which  greater  ignorance  exists,  not  only 
among  the  public  but  among  medical  men  as  well,  than  on  that  of  dis¬ 
infectants.  The  word  is  used  vaguely  to  mean  deodorants,  which  de¬ 
stroy  bad  odors;  antiseptics,  which  prevent  the  spread  of  injury  by 
putrefaction  in  a  wound;  and  germicides,  which  actually  destroy  the 
bacteria  or  microbes  which  produce  contagion  in  a  disease.  In  some 
cases  one  of  these  may  serve  the  function  of  another,  but  that  is  merely 
incidental.  Deodorants  may  be  such  simple  things  as  perfumery,  to¬ 
bacco  smoke  or  camphor,  and  they  serve  very  useful  purposes  in  mask¬ 
ing  bad  smells,  but  they  are  entirely  useless  in  preventing  disease. 

Permanganate  of  potash,  or  “Condy’s  fluid,”  as  the  druggists  call 
it,  is  a  powerful  antiseptic,  instantly  destroying  the  matter  that  is  |)e- 
ginning  to  putrefy  by  what  is  really  a  burning  process.  It  sweetens 
the  foul  discharges  from  wounds  and  bad  throats,  but  is  nearly  power¬ 
less  to  destroy  the  living  germs  of  disease. 

The  disinfectants  of  most  practical  value,  which  are  at  the  same 
time  germicides,  are  carbolic  acid,  chloride  of  zinc,  sulphurous  acid, 
chlorine  and  corrosive  sublimate.  Carbolic  acid,  when  strong  enough, 
is  fairly  satisfactory.  Five  per  cent  solutions  (one  part  in  twenty) 
stop  the  activity  of  bacteria,  but  do  not  actually  destroy  their  vitality. 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


391 


Solutions  twice  as  strong  do,  but  water  will  not  dissolve  so  much,  and 
the  odor  that  remains  is  an  objection  to  their  use  for  disinfecting  linen. 
Chloride  of  zinc  is  far  more  powerful.  If  too  strong  a  mixture  is  used 
it  may  injure  cloth,  so  that  this  wants  to  be  guarded  against. 

Sulphurous  acid  (the  fumes  of  burning  sulphur)  is  a  most  conven¬ 
ient  disinfectant.  Shut  the  windows  down  tight,  leave  all  the  clothing 
in  its  place  and  open  trunks  and  drawers.  Put  a  thick  layer  of  ashes 
in  an  old  iron  pot,  over  which  place  a  shovel  of  live  coals ;  throw  a  tea¬ 
cup  of  pulverized  sulphur  on  the  coals  and  run  out,  closing  the  doors 
in  your  exit.  Stay  out  several  hours.  On  returning  open  all  doors  and 
windows,  and  the  odor  will  soon  be  gone,  also  the  bugs,  insects  and 
the  germs  of  any  disease  that  may  be  lodged  in  the  clothing,  etc. 

The  following  instructions,  published  in  the  Hospital  Gazette,  were 
prepared  by  a  board  of  eminent  physicians  and  surgeons  for  public  in¬ 
formation,  and  on  the  general  proposition  of  disinfection  they  can 
hardly  be  surpassed:  Three  different  preparations  are  recommended 
for  use  to  make  the  purifying  of  a  house,  where  infection  has  been, 
complete.  The  first  is  ordinary  roll  sulphur  or  brimstone,  for  fumiga¬ 
tion;  the  second  is  a  copperas  solution,  made  by  dissolving  sulphate  of 
iron  (copperas)  in  water  in  the  proportion  of  one  and  one-half  pints 
to  one  gallon,  for  soil,  sewers,  etc.;  the  third  is  a  zinc  solution,  made 
by  dissolving  sulphate  of  zinc  and  common  salt  together  in  water  in 
the  proportion  of  four  ounces  of  the  sulphate  and  two  ounces  of  the 
salt  to^one  gallon,  for  clothing,  bed  linen,  etc.  Carbolic  acid  is  not  in¬ 
cluded  in  the  list,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  determine 
the  quality  of  what  is  found  in  the  stores,  and  the  purchaser  can  never 
be  certain  of  securing  it  of  proper  strength.  It  is  expensive  when  of 
good  quality,  and  it  must  be  used  in  comparatively  large  quantities  to 
be  of  any  use.  Besides  it  is  liable,  by  its  strong  odor,  to  give  a  false 
sense  of  security.  Nothing  is  commoner  than  to  see  saucers  of  car¬ 
bolic  acid  and  other  disinfectants  in  a  sick  room.  Considering  the  vi¬ 
tality  of  bacteria,  and  that  they  require  carbolic  solutions  of  more  than 
five  per  cent  or  several  hours  of  intense  heat  or  similar  heroic  measures 
to  kill  them,  it  must  be  evident  that  such  feeble  vapors  as  can  be  toler- 


392 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTION?! 


ated  in  the  sick  room  are  utterly  useless.  Here  are  the  instructions  in 
full: 

In  the  Sick  Room,  the  most  valuable  agents  are  fresh  air  and  clean¬ 
liness.  The  clothing,  towels,  bed  linens,  etc.,  should,  on  removal  from 
the  patient  and  before  they  are  taken  from  the  room,  be  placed  in  a 
pail  or  tub  of  the  zinc  solution,  boiling  hot  if  possible.  All  discharges 
should  either  be  received  in  vessels  containing  the  copperas  solution, 
or,  when  this  is  impracticable,  should  be  immediately  covered  with  the 
solution.  All  vessels  used  about  the  patient  should  be  cleansed  or 
rinsed  with  the  same.  Unnecessary  furniture — especially  that  which 
is  stuffed — carpets  and  hangings  should,  when  possible,  be  removed 
from  the  room  at  the  outset;  otherwise  they  should  remain  for  subse¬ 
quent  fumigation,  as  next  explained. 

Fumigation. — Fumigation  with  sulphur  is  the  method  used  for  dis¬ 
infecting  the  house.  For  this  reason  the  rooms  to  be  disinfected  must 
be  vacated.  Heavy  clothing,  blankets,  bedding  and  other  articles 
which  cannot  be  treated  with  the  zinc  solution,  should  be  opened  and 
exposed  during  fumigation,  as  next  directed.  Close  the  rooms  tightly 
as  possible,  place  the  sulphur  in  iron  pans  supported  upon  bricks  placed 
in  wash-tubs  containing  a  little  water,  set  it  on  fire  by  hot  coals  or  with 
the  aid  of  a  spoonful  of  alcohol,  and  allow  the  room  to  remain  closed 
twenty-four  hours.  For  a  room  about  ten  feet  square  at  least  two 
pounds  of  sulphur  should  be  used;  for  larger  rooms  proportionally  in¬ 
creased  quantities. 

Premises. — Cellars,  stables,  yards,  gutters,  privies,  cesspools,  water 
closets,  drains,  sewers,  etc.,  should  be  frequently  and  liberally  treated 
with  the  copperas  solution.  The  copperas  solution  is  easily  prepared 
by  hanging  a  basket  containing  about  sixty  pounds  of  copperas,  in  a 
barrel  of  water.  (This  would  be  one  and  one-half  pounds  to  the  gal¬ 
lon,  or  about  that.  It  should  all  be  dissolved.) 

Body  and  Bed  Clothing,  Etc. — It  is  best  to  burn  all  articles  which 
have  been  in  contact  with  persons  sick  with  contagious  or  infectious 
diseases.  Articles  too  valuable  to  be  destroyed  should  be  treated  as 
follows;  Cotton,  linen,  flannels,  blankets,  etc.,  should  be  treated  with 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


393 


the  boiling  hot  zinc  solution,  introduced  piece  by  piece;  secure  thor¬ 
ough  wetting,  and  boil  for  at  least  half  an  hour.  Heavy  woolen  cloth¬ 
ing,  silks,  furs,  stuffed  bed  covers,  beds,  and  other  articles  which  can¬ 
not  be  treated  with  the  zinc  solution,  should  be  hung  in  the  room 
during  the  fumigation,  their  surfaces  thoroughly  exposed,  and  the 
pockets  turned  inside  out.  Afterward  they  should  be  hung  in  the 
open  air,  beaten  and  shaken.  Pillows,  beds,  stuffed  mattresses,  up¬ 
holstered  furniture,  etc.,  should  be  cut  open,  the  contents  spread  out 
and  thoroughly  fumigated.  Carpets  are  best  fumigated  on  the  floor, 
but  should  afterward  be  removed  to  the  open  air  and  thoroughly 
beaten. 

Corpses. — Corpses  of  those  dying  from  infectious  diseases  should 
be  thoroughly  washed  with  a  zinc  solution  of  double  strength;  should 
then  be  wrapped  in  a  sheet  wet  with  zinc  solution  and  buried  at  once. 
Metallic,  metal-lined,  or  air-tight  coffins  should  be  used  when  possible, 
certainly  when  the  body  is  to  be  transported  for  any  considerable  dis¬ 
tance.  Of  course  a  public  funeral  is  out  of  the  question. 

In  addition  to  these  disinfectants  of  long  standing,  which  have  been 
recognized  in  medicine  for  many  years,  another  of  great  value  is  now 
coming  into  high  favor.  This  is  formalin,  which,  in  its  various  forms, 
is  convenient,  economical  and  highly  effective.  Under  the  name  of 
formaldehyde,  one  preparation  of  this  disinfectant  is  widely  but  im¬ 
properly  used  as  a  preservative  for  milk,  meat  and  some  other  perish¬ 
able  foods.  In  almost  every  instance  this  is  illegal,  and  properly  so, 
for  the  substance  is  a  poison  and  even  when  diluted  cannot  fail  to  be 
injurious.  From  formalin  various  disinfecting  substances  are  made, 
and  may  be  had  at  the  drug  stores,  some  as  liquids  and  others  in  tablets 
to  evaporate  over  a  lamp  for  the  general  disinfection  of  rooms  or 
houses.  The  latter  may  be  recommended  in  the  highest  degree  as  a 
safe,  economical  and  absolttely  sanitary  process. 

Corrosive  sublimate  is,  perhaps,  the  most  powerful  germicide 
known,  a  solution  of  one  part  in  a  thousand,  or  a  little  more  than  a 
drachm  to  a  gallon  of  water,  being  amply  sufficient  for  all  practical 
purposes.  It  does  not  injure  or  stain  wood,  varnish,  paint,  plaster  or 


394 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


ordinary  fabrics,  and  if  tlie  ceiling  be  whitewashed  with  a  genuine 
lime  wash,  and  the  walls,  floors,  doors  and  furniture  of  the  room  be 
washed  down  with  the  mixture,  no  microbes  can  possibly  escape.  It 
attacks  metals,  but  iron  bedsteads  are  protected  by  the  enameling. 

Poisonous  as  corrosive  sublimate  is,  the  danger  from  it  is  easily 
guarded  against.  The  smallest  dose  of  it  known  to  have  proved  fatal, 
even  to  a  child,  would  require  no  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  the 
solution  of  one  in  a  thousand  parts.  A  mouthful  of  this  would  not 
cause  more  than  temporary  discomfort,  while  the  taste  would  prevent 
a  second  being  swallowed.  Still,  as  a  further  safeguard  it  might  be 
well  to  add  a  little  laundry  bluing  to  give  color  to  the  mixture,  and  a 
little  wood  alcohol  to  give  it  a  smell.  Then  with  a  proper  poison  label 
on  it  surely  no  one  would  be  endangered  by  it. 

PERIOD  OF  ISOLATION  OR  QUARANTINE 

A  person  who  has  had  any  infectious  disease  and  has  been  thor¬ 
oughly  disinfected,  with  his  clothes,  may  be  allowed  to  mix  freely  with 
his  fellows,  in  school,  for  instance,  after  the  following  periods.  Scarlet 
fever:  Not  less  than  eight  weeks  from  the  appearance  of  the  rash, 
provided  peeling  has  completely  ceased,  and  there  be  no  sore  throat. 
Six  weeks  is  not  enough,  as  there  are  cases  of  direct  infection  after 
seven  weeks  when  all  symptoms  have  entirely  disappeared.  Measles 
and  German  measles:  In  three  weeks,  provided  all  peeling  and  cough¬ 
ing  have  ceased.  Smallpox  and  chickenpox:  A  fortnight  after  the  last 
scab  has  fallen  off;  the  hair,  in  case  of  smallpox,  having  been  cut  short 
and  scrubbed  with  carbolic  soap  or  soft  soap.  Mumps:  Four  weeks 
from  the  attack  if  all  swelling  has  disappeared.  Whooping-cough: 
Six  weeks  from  recognition  of  the  whoop  if  the  cough  has  entirely  lost 
its  spasmodic  character,  or  four  weeks  if  all  cough  whatever  has 
ceased.  Diphtheria:  In  a  month  if  convalescence  be  complete,  there 
being  no  trace  of  sore  throat  or  discharge  from  the  nose,  eyes,  etc. 
Ringworm:  When  the  whole  scalp,  carefully  examined  in  a  good  light, 
shows  no  stumpy  broken  hairs  or  scaly  patches. 


GENERAL  HEALTH  INSTRUCTIONS 


395 


It  has  been  very  difficult  to  impress  upon  communities  and  indi¬ 
viduals  the  extreme  importance  of  strict  obedience  to  the  foregoing 
rules.  There  is  an  unfortunate  tendency  in  too  many  instances  for 
households  to  fail  in  guarding  their  neighbors  from  contact  with  their 
own  members  who  are  convalescing  from  disease.  Even  such  common 
and  simple  diseases  as  whooping-cough,  chickenpox,  mumps  and  others 
that  are  considered  especially  to  belong  to  children,  frequently  prove 
fatal  to  those  who  are  susceptible  to  them,  and  it  is  truly  wicked  to 
permit  by  carelessness  such  an  infection  to  reach  a  school  or  elsewhere 
where  weaker  children  may  suffer  as  a  result. 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK 

ROOM 


Ventilation,  Light,  Temperature  and  Furnishings— Care 
of  the  Patient— His  Temperature  and  Pulse— Bed 
Sores— The  Characteristics  of  Fever— Simple  House¬ 
hold  Remedies — What  to  Put  in  a  Remedy  Cupboard 
—How  to  Keep  the  Baby  Well 


To  every  living  person  air  must  be  furnished  every  moment  if  life 
is  to  be  preserved.  The  vital  element  of  the  air  is  oxygen  gas,  the  life- 
giving  medium,  and  this  is  diluted  with  nitrogen,  because  the  oxygen 
itself,  breathed  alone,  would  be  too  stimulating  for  our  lungs.  In  the 
delicate  cells  of  the  lungs  the  air  we  have  inhaled  gives  up  its  oxygen 
to  the  blood,  thus  purifying  it,  and  receives  in  turn  carbonic  acid  gas 
and  water,  foul  with  waste  matter,  which  the  blood  has  absorbed  dur¬ 
ing  its  passage  through  the  body  and  which  we  now  exhale.  The  blood 
is  red  when  it  leaves  the  heart,  pure.  It  returns  to  the  heart  purple 
from  the  impurities  it  has  picked  up,  and  by  the  oxygen  is  once  more 
changed  to  red. 

Manifestly  if  this  process  is  so  important  to  a  person  in  health,  it 
must  be  doubly  so  to  one  who  is  sick.  The  impurities  of  a  sick  room 
consist  largely  of  organic  matter,  including  in  many  instances  enor¬ 
mous  numbers  of  the  disease  germs  themselves.  If  we  uncover  a 
scarlet  fever  patient  in  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  a  cloud  of  fine  dust 
may  be  seen  to  rise  from  the  body,  the  dust  which  carries  the  con¬ 
tagion  itself.  In  an  unventilated  place  this  is  but  slowly  scattered  or 
destroyed,  and  for  many  days  it  retains  its  poisonous  qualities.  ‘  ‘  The 
effect  of  rebreathing  the  air  cannot  be  overestimated,”  says  Martin 

396 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  ROOM 


397 


W.  Curran  of  Bellevue  Hospital,  New  York  City.  “We  take  back  into 
our  bodies  that  which  has  been  just  rejected,  and  the  blood  thereupon 
leaves  fhe  lungs  bearing,  not  the  invigorating  oxygen,  but  gas  and 
waste  matter,  which,  at  the  best,  is  disagreeable  to  the  smell,  injurious 
to  the  health,  and  may  contain  the  germs  of  disease.” 

Fortunately  rooms  may  be  ventilated  by  means  of  windows  in  sev¬ 
eral  different  ways  with  little  risk  of  draught.  For  instance,  the 
lower  sash  of  the  window  may  be  raised  three  or  four  inches,  and  a 
plain  bar  of  wood  an  inch  in  thickness,  extending  the  whole  breadth 
of  the  window,  may  be  put  below  the  window  sash,  entirely  filling 
the  space.  By  this  means  the  air  current  enters  above,  between  the 
two  sashes  in  an  indirect  line,  and  it  is  gradually  diffused  through  the 
room  without  a  draught.  Here  is  a  simpler  way  of  doing  the  same 
thing.  Take  a  heavy  piece  of  paper  or  cloth,  about  twelve  inches 
wide,  and  long  enough  to  reach  across  the  window.  Tack  it  tightly 
at  both  ends  and  the  lower  edge  to  the  frame,  and  raise  the  lower 
sash  of  the  window  a  few  inches.  The  air  entering  will  be  diverted 
by  the  cloth.  If  the  air  is  very  cold  it  must  not  be  admitted  at  the 
bottom  of  the  room,  but  from  the  top  of  the  window,  and  should  be 
directed  toward  the  ceiling  so  as  to  fall  and  mix  gradually  with  the 
wanner  air  of  the  room. 

The  influence  of  the  sun’s  rays  upon  the  nervous  system  is  very 
marked.  That  room  is  the  healthiest  to  which  the  sun  has  freest 
access.  The  sick  room  should  be  kept  looking  bright  and  cheerful, 
unless  the  disease  be  one  that  requires  the  eyes  to  be  specially  guarded 
from  the  light.  The  eyes  are  weaker,  however,  in  all  sickness,  and 
the  bed  should  be  turned  so  that  the  patient  does  not  look  directly 
toward  the  bright  light  of  the  open  window. 

The  proper  temperature  for  a  sick  room  is  sixty-eight  degrees 
above  zero.  In  the  hot  days  of  summer  when  this  temperature  is 
greatly  exceeded,  or  the  air  is  too  dry,  hang  some  thin  muslin,  soaked 
in  ice  water,  across  the  opening  in  the  windows,  which  will  moisten 
the  air,  cool  the  room,  and  keep  out  many  particles  of  floating  dust. 
If  the  floor  of  the  sick  room  is  carpeted  and  the  illness  is  serious. 


398 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  BOOM 


cover  the  carpet  with  sheets  and  sprinkle  on  them  a  weak  solution  of 
carbolic  acid  at  intervals.  The  sheets  can  be  changed  as  often  as 
necessary.  The  cleanest  wall  is  one  that  is  painted,  which  can  be 
washed  and  disinfected  in  any  way  desired.  Nurses  consider  papered 
walls  the  worst  ones,  and  plastered  the  next,  but  the  latter  can  be 
made  safe  by  frequent  lime  washings  and  occasional  scraping. 

Have  as  little  furniture  as  possible  in  the  sick  room,  and  all  of  this 
of  wood,  metal  or  marble,  kept  clean  by  being  wiped  with  a  cloth 
wrung  out  of  hot  water.  A  small,  light  table  should  be  placed  for 
the  patient’s  use,  from  which  he  may  reach  his  own  glass  of  water. 
The  bed  should  not  be  placed  with  one  of  the  sides  against  the  wall, 
as  a  nurse  should  be  able  to  attend  to  a  patient  from  either  side. 

CARE  OF  THE  PATIENT 

In  all  cases  where  the  patient  is  too  ill  or  forbidden  to  sit  up  in 
bed,  a  feeding  cup  with  a  curved  spout  should  be  used.  The  nurse’s 
hand  should  be  passed  beneath  the  pillow,  and  the  head  and  pillow 
gently  raised  together.  Where  there  is  extreme  prostration  a  glass 
tube,  bent  at  a  right  angle,  one  end  of  which  is  placed  in  the  cup  con¬ 
taining  the  food  and  the  other  in  the  patient’s  mouth,  will  enable  him 
to  take  liquids  with  scarcely  any  effort. 

If  the  patient  is  in  a  state  of  delirium,  or  unconscious,  endeavor  to 
arouse  him  somewhat  before  giving  him  his  food.  Sometimes 
merely  putting  the  spoon  in  his  mouth  is  enough,  but  at  other  times 
you  will  require  to  get  it  well  back  on  the  tongue.  In  such  cases, 
watch  carefully  to  see  that  the  liquid  is  swallowed  before  attempting 
to  give  a  second  spoonful. 

When  it  comes  to  the  convalescent  patient  the  food  is  no  less 
important  than  during  the  time  of  illness.  Serve  it  on  a  tray,  covered 
with  a  fresh  napkin,  have  the  dishes  and  spoons  clean  and  shining, 
and  be  careful  not  to  slop  things  into  the  saucers.  Take  the  tray 
from  the  room  as  soon  as  the  meal  is  ended,  for  uneaten  food  some¬ 
times  becomes  very  obnoxious  to  the  sick  person  if  it  remains  in 


399 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  ROOM 

sight.  To  provide  food  for  the  sick  which  is  both  suitable  and 
attractive  sometimes  requires  great  care,  judgment  and  patience,  but 
the  effort  is  worth  all  the  trouble  it  costs.  The  aim  should  be  to  give 
what  will  be  at  the  same  time  easy  to  digest  and  of  nutritive  value 
after  it  is  digested.  In  another  department  of  this  work  will  be 
found  many  recipes  adapted  for  invalids. 

Medicine  should  be  given  at  regular  hours,  and  careful  attention 
should  be  paid  to  the  directions  as  to  the  time  when  the  doses  are  to 
be  given,  as,  for  instance,  before  or  after  meals.  The  exact  quantity 
ordered  should  be  given,  as  even  a  slight  error  may  defeat  the  results 
intended.  Never  give  any  medicine  without  looking  at  the  label, 
being  absolutely  certain  that  you  have  the  right  one.  Never  allow  a 
bottle  to  stand  uncorked,  for  many  mixtures  lose  their  strength  when 
exposed  to  the  air. 

TEMPERATURE  AND  PULSE 

We  follow  Mr.  Curran  again  in  his  clear  statement  of  the  impor¬ 
tance  of  temperature  in  disease.  Every  household  should  have  a 
clinical  thermometer  to  use  in  taking  the  temperature  of  the  patient 
in  the  event  of  sickness.  The  average  normal  temperature  in  adults 
is  from  98.4  to  98.6  degrees.  There  is  a  daily  variation  of  sometimes 
1.5  degrees,  the  highest  point  being  reached  in  the  evening.  Exer¬ 
cise,  diet,  climate  and  sleep  cause  deviation  from  the  standard. 
Almost  every  disease,  however,  carries  with  it  an  abnormal  variation 
in  temperature.  If  the  rising  temperature  does  not  always  show 
what  the  disease  is,  it  does  show  what  it  probably  is  not.  For  instance, 
a  rapid  rise  of  three  of  four  degrees  above  the  healthy  standard 
does  not  mean  typhoid  fever,  but  may  mean  measles  or  scarlet  fever, 
and  in  whooping-cough  and  smallpox,  the  highest  temperature  pre¬ 
cedes  those  diseases  from  two  to  four  days.  In  diphtheria  there  is 
this  rise  before  anyone  thinks  of  looking  at  the  throat.  Increase  of 
temperature  calls  for  cooling  remedies,  external  and  internal,  and 
degrees  of  temperature  below  the  standard  require  warming  and  sus¬ 
taining  treatment. 


400 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  ROOM 


An  increase  of  temperature  beginning  each  day  a  little  earlier  is  a 
bad  sign;  one  beginning  later  promises  well.  A  decrease  of  fever 
beginning  each  day  earlier  is  a  good  sign,  but  if  later  each  day,  is  a 
bad  one.  A  very  high  temperature,  say  105  degrees,  is  dangerous  in 
itself,  but  more  so  if  it  has  come  on  gradually  as  the  last  of  a  series, 
A  fall  of  temperature  below  normal  is  far  more  dangerous  than  a 
much  greater  corresponding  rise.  One  degree  below  normal  is  more 
an  indication  of  a  bad  condition  than  two  and  one-half  above  normal. 
In  convalescence  if  there  is  no  rise  of  temperature  after  eating  there 
is  no  nourishment  secured  'from  the  food ;  if  there  is  a  sudden  or  high 
rise  of  more  than  one  degree  the  food  was  too  stimulating  or  bulky. 
To  be  beneficial  in  convalescence  food  must  increase  the  temperature 
a  quarter  to  half  a  degree  and  this  must  almost  subside  when  diges¬ 
tion  is  over,  though  leaving  a  gradual  improvement  in  the  average 
daily  temperature. 

Temperature  from  106  degrees  upward  and  from  95  degrees  down¬ 
ward  is  extremely  dangerous  and  virtually  a  sign  of  fatal  ending.  As 
the  temperature  increases  or  decreases  from  normal  toward  these 
extremes,  it  consequently  becomes  more  threatening.  Temperature 
should  be  taken  by  placing  the  bulb  of  the  clinical  thermometer  in  the 
rectum  or  under  the  tongue. 

There  is  a  close  connection  between  the  temperature  and  the 
pulse,  both  of  which  guide  the  judgment  in  matters  of  health.  The 
pulse  is  most  rapid  at  birth,  and  becomes  constantly  slower  until  old 
age,  ranging  from  a  maximum  at  the  beginning  of  130  to  150  pulsa¬ 
tions  a  minute  to  a  minimum  at  the  end  of  life  of  50  to  65  pulsations. 
The  average  pulse  through  the  period  of  adult  life  is  from  70  to  75 
beats  per  minute.  It  is  considered  that  every  rise  of  temperature  of 
one  degree  above  normal  corresponds  with  an  increase  of  ten  beats  of 
the  pulse  per  minute. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  importance  of  the  bath  in  health. 
Baths  have  their  equal  importance  in  sickness,  and  their  direct  effect 
upon  many  diseases.  All  the  vital  organs  are  affected  through  the 
skin,  and  by  keeping  it  in  a  healthy  condition  the  circulation  of  the 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  ROOM 


401 


blood,  the  action  of  the  kidneys  and  bowels  and  all  the  digestive 
processes  are  promoted,  many  diseases  warded  off,  and  the  assimila¬ 
tion  of  food  aided.  In  many  fevers,  for  instance,  a  sponge  bath  with 
water  a  few  degrees  cooler  than  the  normal  temperature  of  the  body 
will  give  great  comfort  and  relieve  and  reduce  the  temprature 
materially.  A  warm  bath  with  water  about  at  the  temperature  of  the 
body,  or  a  degree  or  two  less,  produces  no  shock  to  the  system  but 
makes  the  pulse  beat  a  little  faster  and  causes  a  little  more  activity 
of  circulation. 

Put  bran  enough  in  the  water  to  make  it  milky,  and  the  bath  will 
assist  in  softening  the  skin,  when  it  is  dried  and  flaky.  Put  in  a 
pound  of  rock  salt  to  every  four  gallons  of  water  and  you  will  find  the 
bath  useful  in  invigorating  feeble  constitutions. 

Thirst  is  Nature’s  Signal  that  the  system  needs  an  increased  sup¬ 
ply  of  water  just  as  truly  as  appetite  shows  need  for  food.  It  is 
relieved  not  only  by  water  but  by  barley  water,  toast  water  and  similar 
drinks,  by  small  pieces  of  ice  held  in  the  mouth,  and  by  drinks  made 
from  the  juices  of  fruit.  Care  must  be  used,  however,  in  the  employ¬ 
ment  of  these  apparently  harmless  things,  or  injury  may  follow  from 
taking  them  to  excess. 

Bed  Sores  are  the  inflamed  spots  which  occur  on  the  body,  often 
as  a  result  of  carelessness  during  a  long  illness.  They  are  not  likely 
to  occur  if  the  bedding  is  kept  smooth  and  free  from  wrinkles  and 
the  patient  kept  dry,  his  position  varied  as  frequently  as  possible,  and 
the  proper  bathing  not  neglected.  If  such  sores  threaten  there  are 
several  remedies  which  will  help  to  prevent  them.  Alcohol,  brandy 
or  glycerine  rubbed  over  the  parts  exposed  to  pressure,  after  washing 
in  the  morning  and  evening,  will  serve  to  harden  the  place  where 
applied.  A  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  painted  on  threatened  but 
unbroken  skin  as  soon  as  it  becomes  red,  will  prevent  sores.  In  the 
early  stages  of  bed  sores'  apply  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  rectified 
spirits  and  white  of  egg.  Put  it  on  with  a  feather  and  renew  as  it 
dries  till  an  albuminous  coating  is  formed.  For  bed  sores  occurring 
in  typhoid  and  other  fevers  an  excellent  prescription  is  composed  of 
26—1,  s 


402 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  BOOM 


two  parts  of  castor  oil  and  one  of  balsam  of  Peru,  which  are  spread 
on  pieces  of  lint,  laid  on  the  sore  and  covered  with  a  linseed  poultice 
to  be  changed  three  or  four  times  a  day. 

The  Characteristics  of  Fever  are  a  rising*  of  the  tmperature,  and, 
as  a  rule,  increased  rapidly  of  the  circulation  as  shown  by  the  pulse, 
and  alterations  in  the  secretions  of  the  body,  which  are  usually  dimin¬ 
ished.  Fever  diet  consists  in  giving  the  patient  plenty  of  milk, 
arrowroot  or  broth,  composing  a  light,  easily-digested  fluid  diet,  every 
three  hours,  day  and  night.  If  milk  alone  is  used  the  patient  can  take 
from  three  to  five  pints  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  general  treatment 
recommended  for  fevers  consists  in  sponging  off  the  body  of  the 
patient  under  the  bed  clothes  with  cool  water  three  or  four  times  a 
day,  keeping  him  lightly  covered,  the  room  well  ventilated,  and  its 
temperature  from  sixty-eighty  to  seventy  de’grees.  He  should  be 
given  plenty  of  cooling  drinks  in  small  quantities  from  fear  of  over¬ 
loading  his  stomach,  but  frequently  repeated  even  if  he  has  to  be 
coaxed  to  take  them.  The  secretions  of  the  kidneys  and  bowels  must 
be  kept  up  by  such  medicines  as  are  prescribed  by  the  physician  in 
charge. 


SIMPLE  HOUSEHOLD  REMEDIES,  HERBS  AND  OTHERWISE 

Those  who  live  in  the  city,  where  a  doctor  can  be  summoned  in  a 
few  minutes,  if  needed,  cannot  realize  how  important  it  is  that  the 
farmer’s  wife  should  keep  a  supply  of  simple  remedies  on  hand  and 
know  how  to  use  them.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  an  herb  bed  in  one 
corner  of  the  garden,  where  catnip,  thoroughwort,  camomile,  hoar- 
hound,  pennyroyal,  etc.,  can  be  grown.  These  are  nature’s  remedies 
and  are  often  just  as  effective  and  always  safer  than  strong  drugs. 
Almost  all  kinds  of  herbs  should  be  gathered  while  in  blossom  and 
tied  up  in  bunches  until  dry.  Then  put  them  in  bags,  keeping  each 
kind  separate,  and  labeling  them.  The  bags  keep  them  clean  and 
the  labels  enable  one  to  find  them  quickly.  In  the  springtime  when 
one  feels  languid  and  miserable,  a  cup  of  boneset  or  thoroughwort  tea. 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  BOOM 


403 


taken  several  mornings  in  succession,  will  arouse  the  sluggish  liver 
and  make  quite  a  difference  in  one ’s  feelings. 

For  sprains,  bruises  and  rheumatism  steep  tansy  in  vinegar,  having 
it  almost  boiling  hot;  wring  woolen  cloths  out  of  it  and  apply,  chang¬ 
ing  often.  Plantain  grows  almost  everywhere  and  is  very  useful  as  a 
medicine.  A  strong  tea  made  of  the  leaves  or  a  poultice  made  of  them 
and  applied  quite  hot  to  the  cheek  will  relieve  facial  neuralgia.  A  tea 
made  of  the  seeds  and  taken  in  tablespoonful  doses  every  ten  minutes 
is  good  for  sick  stomach. 

If  it  is  desirable  to  preserve  plant  remedies  make  a  strong  decoc¬ 
tion  by  steeping  in  water  kept  just  below  boiling  point  half  an  hour. 
Strain  it  and  to  one  pint  of  the  liquid  add  one  gill  of  alcohol.  Put  it  in 
bottle,  cork  tightly  and  it  will  retain  its  virtues  as  long  as  desired. 

Many  fruits  and  vegetables  possess  valuable  medicinal  properties. 
Tomatoes,  either  canned  or  fresh,  are  a  pleasant  remedy  for  consti¬ 
pation.  Blackberry  cordial  is  an  old  and  well-tried  remedy  for  diar¬ 
rhea  and  dysentery.  To  prepare  it  get  the  fresh  berries;  mash  them 
with  a  potato  masher  and  let  them  stand  several  hours ;  then  strain  out 
the  juice.  To  one  quart  of  juice  add  one  pound  of  granulated  sugar 
and  one  heaping  teaspoonful  each  of  cloves,  cinnamon,  allspice  and  nut¬ 
meg.  All  the  spices  except  the  nutmeg  should  be  tied  in  a  cheesecloth 
sack  before  they  are  put  in.  Boil  until  it  is  a  rich  syrup;  put  it  in 
bottles  and  seal  while  hot. 

Many  housewives  who  have  used  borax  in  various  ways  have 
never  known  its  value  as  a  medicine.  It  is  almost  the  only  antiseptic 
and  disinfectant  known  that  is  entirely  safe  to  use.  Clothes  washed 
in  borax  water  are  free  from  infection,  and  can  be  worn  again  with¬ 
out  fear  of  contagion.  A  solution  of  ten  grains  of  borax  to  one  ounce 
of  pure  soft  water  is  an  excellent  lotion  for  sore  eyes.  Apply  it  two  or 
three  times  a  day  until  it  strengthens  and  heals  them.  Half  a  tea¬ 
spoonful  of  borax  and  a  pinch  of  salt  dissolved  in  a  cupful  of  water  and 
used  frequently  as  a  gargle  will  cure  sore  throat. 

A  heaping  tablespoonful  of  table  salt  or  two  of  mustard  stirred 
into  a  glass  of  warm  water  will  start  vomiting  as  soon  as  it  reaches 


404 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  ROOM 


the  stomach,  which  is  one  of  the  best  remedies  known  for  poisoning. 
A  teacupful  of  very  strong  coffee  will  nullify  the  effects  of  opium,  mor¬ 
phine  or  chloroform. 

WHAT  TO  PUT  IN  A  REMEDY  CUPBOARD 

In  every  house  there  should  be  a  remedy  cupboard.  We  do  not 
mean  the  ordinary  medicine  chest  with  innumerable  bottles  huddled 
together,  but  a  well-stocked  emergency  cupboard,  easy  of  access,  and 
containing  simple  remedies  for  the  many  aches  and  pains  of  humanity. 
Such  a  medicine  chest  is  considered  by  some  as  one  of  the  most  impor¬ 
tant  pieces  of  furniture  in  the  house.  It  should  be  more  like  a  little 
cupboard  than  a  chest.  It  may  be  made  of  a  rather  shallow  box,  fitted 
with  shelves,  and  there  should  be  a  door  which  fastens  with  a  lock  and 
key.  The  key  should  be  kept  by  the  mother,  so  that  no  one  can  go  to 
the  chest  without  permission.  It  should  be  fastened  rather  high  up 
against  the  wall.  In  this  chest  should  be  kept  everything  that  expe¬ 
rience  has  proven  to  be  essential  in  the  treatment  of  such  emergency 
cases  as  most  mothers  have  to  deal  with. 

No  household  is  conducted  without  an  occasional  accident  or 
bruise;  burns  and  ugly  cuts  are  all  of  frequent  occurrence  where 
there  are  children.  If  there  is  a  place  where  one  can  always  find  some 
soft  medicated  cotton,  bandages  of  different  widths,  absorbent  gauze 
and  a  bottle  of  some  antiseptic  solution,  it  will  prevent  the  frantic 
running  about  when  such  articles  are  needed  and  save  to  the  sufferer 
many  throbs  of  pain.  To  be  thoroughly  satisfactory  the  emergency 
cupboard  must  be  kept  in  perfect  order  and  systematically  arranged. 
For  instance,  in  one  compartment  keep  the  every-day  remedies  for 
coughs  and  colds,  such  as  quinine  and  listerine,  croup  kettle,  atomizer 
and  a  compress  and  flannel  bandages. 

There  should  be  prepared  mustard  plasters,  rolls  of  court  plaster, 
salves,  liniments,  lotions,  laudanum,  pills,  porous  plasters,  castor  oil, 
sulphur,  salts,  camphor,  and  in  fact  everything  that  is  needed  should 
be  found  here,  and  in  this  way  many  times  the  cost  of  the  chest  will 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  ROOM 


405 


be  saved  in  doctors’  bills.  Everything  should  be  carefully  labeled 
and  so  arranged  that  things  can  almost  be  found  in  the  dark. 


HOW  TO  KEEP  THE  BABY  WELL 

Many  young  mothers  are  anxious  to  learn  all  they  can  about  the 
physiology  and  hygiene  of  babyhood.  Hours  of  anxiety  might  be 
spared  them  if  they  could  only  profit  by  the  experience  of  those  wlio 
have  raised  large  families. 

Babies’  hands  and  feet  frequently  become  cold  in  a  room  where 
older  people  are  quite  comfortable.  This  is  sometimes  caused  by 
having  the  clothing  too  tight.  Keep  the  temperature  of  the  room  as 
near  seventy  degrees  as  possible  and  have  it  well  ventilated,  but  do 
not  allow  the  little  one  to  lie  in  a  draught,  or  an  attack  of  colic  may  be 
the  result.  Take  him  out  in  the  fresh  air  frequently  if  the  weather  is 
good,  but  when  the  wind  is  blowing  and  the  air  is  damp  the  best 
place  for  the  baby  is  in  the  nursery.  It  is  never  safe  to  expose  him 
to  all  kinds  of  weather  in  order  to  get  him  used  to  it,  for  it  may  cost 
his  life. 

Give  the  baby  a  bath  every  day  in  hot  weather,  never  having  the 
water  cool  enough  to  cause  him  to  catch  his  breath,  nor  warm  enough 
to  make  him  cry.  He  will  soon  learn  to  enjoy  it.  “My  baby  will  laugh 
and  clap  his  hands  every  time  he  is  put  in  the  water,  ’  ’  says  one  happy 
mother,  “and  after  a  few  minutes’  bath  and  a  good  rubbing  he  is 
ready  for  a  long,  refreshing  sleep.” 

If  the  baby’s  head  becomes  covered  with  a  yellow  coating  rub 
vaseline  well  into  the  scalp,  and  after  it  has  remained  four  or  five 
hours  take  a  fine  comb  and  carefully  comb  it  all  off ;  wash  thoroughly 
with  soft  water  and  good  toilet  soap  as  often  as  may  be  necessary  to 
keep  the  scalp  white  and  healthy.  The  vaseline  loosens  the  scurf  and 
makes  it  easy  to  comb  out. 

Nothing  is  so  important  as  the  baby’s  diet.  Of  course  the  mother’s 
milk  is  the  food  nature  intended  for  him,  but  frequently  the  supply 


406 


COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  SICK  BOOM 


is  not  sufficient  for  his  needs,  and  there  are  many  cases  where  it  is 
impossible  for  a  mother  to  nurse  her  baby.  Cow’s  milk  is  sometimes 
used,  but  the  result  is  seldom  satisfactory.  It  sours  so  easily  in  warm 
weather  and  is  then  really  poisonous  to  the  little  one.  Then  we  can 
never  be  sure  that  the  cow  is  healthy,  and  we  seldom  have  any  means 
of  knowing  what  kind  of  food  she  eats,  or  if  the  water  she  drinks  is 
pure.  All  these  things  seriously  affect  the  child’s  health.  Various 
prepared  foods  are  good,  but  what  agrees  with  one  baby  may  not  agree 
with  another,  so  the  effects  of  the  one  chosen  should  be  carefully 
watched.  It  should  be  freshly  prepared  for  each  meal;  there  will 
then  be  none  of  the  bad  effects  that  so  often  follow  the  use  of  stale 
food.  Do  not  get  into  the  habit  of  offering  the  baby  the  bottle  every 
time  he  cries,  regardless  of  the  cause.  He  inay  be  thirsty,  and  a  few 
spoonfuls  of  cold  water  will  quiet  him. 

Do  not  feed  the  baby  with  a  spoon.  It  is  not  nature’s  way,  and  the 
sucking  motion  of  the  lips  and  mouth  is  needed  to  mix  the  food  with 
the  fluids  of  the  mouth  and  keep  it  from  getting  into  the  stomach  too 
fast.  Use  a  plain  nursing-bottle  with  a  rubber  nipple,  which  should 
be  taken  off  after  each  feeding  so  that  both  bottle  and  rubber  may  be 
washed  thoroughly.  Let  them  soak  in  hot  water  two  or  three  times 
every  day  to  destroy  any  germs  that  may  be  left  in  them.  Under  no 
circumstances  ever  use  a  bottle  with  a  long  tube  of  rubber.  Absolute 
cleanliness  in  everything  pertaining  to  his  food  is  necessary  to  keep 
the  baby  healthy. 

Do  not  put  anything  in  his  mouth  that  needs  chewing,  until  he  has 
his  teeth.  In  fact  until  he  is  seven  months  old  the  prepared  food  will 
be  all  that  is  necessary  for  him.  After  that  he  will  take  a  little 
oatmeal  gruel  that  has  been  strained  through  a  coarse  wire  sieve  to 
remove  the  husks,  or  some  of  the  excellent  preparations  of  wheat  now 
on  the  market.  If  he  is  constipated,  the  juice  of  stewed  fruit  is  bene¬ 
ficial  in  small  quantities. 


RULES  FOR  ACCIDENTS  AND 
EMERGENCIES 


Poisons  and  Tlieir  TrcalmenI — Biles,  SVings,  Bruises,  SplinVers,  Culs, 
Sprains  ond  Burns — Lockjaw — Poison  Ivy — How  to  Bnn^  Ike  Drowned 
lo  Li^e — Suffocation — FoinVing — Sunstroke — Freezing — Tke  Eyes  and 
How  to  Care  forTkem — Earacke  and  Tootkacke — Felons,  Warts,  Corns 
and  Boils — Home  Remedies  for  Dipktkeria — Treatment  of  Smallpox — 
Convenient  Disinfectants — Sick  Room  Suggestions — Fruit  in  Sickness 
— An  Antidote  for  Intemperance — Milk  Strippings  for  Consumption — 
Stammering  Cured  at  Home 


Here  are  some  short  and  simple  rules  for  quick  action  in  the 
event  of  accidents: 

For  Dust  in  the  Eyes,  avoid  rubbing,  and  dash  water  into  them. 
Remove  cinders,  etc.,  with  the  rounded  end  of  a  lead  pencil  or  a  small 
camel’s  hair  brush  dipped  in  water. 

Remove  Insects  from  the  Ear  by  tepid  water;  never  put  a  hard 
instrument  into  the  ear. 

If  an  Artery  Is  Cut  compress  above  the  wound;  if  a  vein  is  cut 
compress  below. 

If  Choked  get  upon  all  fours  and  cough. 

For  Light  Burns  dip  the  part  in  cold  water;  if  the  skin  is  destroyed 
cover  with  varnish. 

Smother  a  Fire  with  carpets,  etc. ;  water  will  often  spread  burning 
oil  and  increase  the  danger. 

Before  Passing  through  Smoke  take  a  full  breath  and  then  stoop 
low;  but  if  carbonic  acid  gas  is  suspected  then  walk  erect. 

Suck  Poisoned  Wounds  unless  your  mouth  is  sore.  Enlarge  the 
wound,  or  better,  cut  out  the  part  without  delay.  Hold  the  wounded 
part  as  long  as  can  be  borne  to  a  hot  coal  or  end  of  a  cigar. 

407 


408 


EULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


POISONS  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT 

The  treatment  of  poisons  in  general  consists  of  the  use  of  sub¬ 
stances  which,  by  combining  chemically  with  an  injurious  dose, 
will  neutralize,  as  acids  with  alkalies  and  vice  versa;  by  solvents, 
which  take  up  the  poison,  as  olive  oil  with  carbolic  acid;  and  by 
emetics  which  produce  vomiting  and  dislodge  the  poison.  The  stomach 
pump  is  also  used,  if  available,  to  empty  the  stomach,  and  for  some 
poisons  electricity  is  used. 

If  the  exact  poison  is  unknown  it  is  best  to  follow  a  general  plan 
of  treatment.  We  want  an  emetic,  an  antidote  and  a  cathartic.  For 
the  first  a  draught  of  warm  water  and  tickling  the  throat  with  a 
finger  or  a  feather  will  generally  succeed.  For  an  antidote  that  will 
neutralize  the  great  majority  of  poisons  give  a  mixture  of  equal  parts 
of  calcined  magnesia,  pulverized  charcoal  and  sesquioxide  of  iron, 
mixed  thoroughly.  Castor  oil  is  the  best  cathartic  for  general  use  in 
poisoning. 

Here  are  a  few  special  instructions  for  the  treatment  of  the  more 
common  cases  of  poisoning: 

For  carbolic  acid  give  olive  oil  or  castor  oil  or  glycerine. 

For  ammonia  give  frequently  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar  or  lemon 
juice,  and  follow  this  with  a  cathartic  of  castor  oil. 

For  alcohol  empty  the  stomach  by  emetics,  warm  salt  water, 
repeated  at  short  intervals,  being  the  best.  If  the  head  is  hot,  dash 
cool  water  upon  it.  Keep  up  motion  and  rubbing  and  slapping  to 
increase  the  circulation. 

For  arsenic,  fly  poison  or  paris  green,  take  milk,  gruel  water  with 
starch  dissolved  in  it,  oil  and  lime  water.  Be  sure  and  empty  the 
stomach  by  vomiting.  It  may  require  three  or  four  repetitions  of  an 
emetic  to  dislodge  the  sticky  paste  from  the  walls  of  the  stomach. 
Oil  and  barley  gruel  or  mucilage  water  should  be  given  to  protect  the 
stomach. 

For  chloroform  and  ether,  artificial  breathing  must  be  stimulated. 
Lower  the  head  of  the  patient  and  elevate  the  legs.  Place  ammonia 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


409 


at  tlie  nose  to  be  inhaled,  and  slap  the  surface  of  the  chest  smartly 
with  the  fringe  of  a  towel  dipped  in  ice  water. 

For  sulphate  of  copper  or  blue  vitrol,  give  an  emetic  of  warm 
water  or  mustard  and  warm  water.  Do  not  give  vinegar  or  acids. 
After  vomiting  give  milk  or  white  of  egg  and  oil. 

For  mercury  poisoning  by  corrosive  sublimate  or  calomel,  give 
promptly  the  white  of  eggs  mixed  in  water  or  milk.  Empty  the 
stomach  by  vomiting  and  then  give  quantities  of  egg  and  water  or 
milk  or  even  flour  and  water. 

For  opium,  morphine,  laudanum,  paregoric  or  soothing  syrup 
poisoning  cleanse  the  stomach  thoroughly  by  vomiting,  and  then  give 
strong  coffee.  The  patient  must  be  kept  in  constant  motion.  At  the 
same  time  he  must  be  frequently  aroused  by  smart  blows  with  the 
palm  of  the  hand,  or  switching,  and  whipping  the  body  with  a  wet 
towel.  When  all  else  fails  artificial  respiration  should  be  kept  up  for 
a  long  time. 

For  phosphorus,  heads  of  matches,  etc.,  use  a  mixture  of  hydrated 
magnesia  and  cold  water  in  repeated  draughts,  and  produce  free 
vomiting.  The  emetic  is  mustard,  flour  and  water.  Do  not  use  oil, 
as  it  tends  to  dissolve  the  phosphorus. 

For  strychnine,  rat  poison  and  the  like  give  an  emetic,  and  after 
this  operates  administer  draughts  of  strong  coffee.  Control  the  con¬ 
vulsions  by  inhaling  chloroform,  a  teaspoonful  poured  upon  a  napkin 
and  placed  near  the  nostrils.  Between  paroxysms  give  chloral 
dissolved  in  water.  The  patient  should  be  allowed  to  go  to  sleep  if 
so  inclined  and  under  any  circumstances  kept  perfectly  quiet,  for  any 
shock  brings  convulsions. 

For  venomous  snake  bites  tie  a  bandage  tightly  above  the  point 
of  the  bite,  leave  the  wound  to  bleed,  and  draw  from  it  what  poison 
may  remain  by  sucking,  unless  you  have  a  sore  mouth.  Cauterize 
the  wound  with  caustics,  a  hot  iron  or  a  hot  coal.  Give  alcoholic 
liquors  and  strong  coffee  freely.  Dress  the  wound  with  equal  parts 
of  oil  and  ammonia. 

For  poisonous  mushrooms  give  a  brisk  emetic,  then  epsom  salts 


410 


EULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


and  then  large  and  stimulating  injections  to  move  the  bowels, 
followed  by  ether  and  alcoholic  stimulants.  The  poison  of  mushrooms 
is  very  similar  to  that  of  venomous  snake  bites. 

RATTLESNAKE  BITES  CURED  BY  SWEET  OIL 

Few  people  know  that  sweet  oil,  the  common  olive  oil  of  com¬ 
merce,  the  salad  oil  used  on  our  tables,  is  a  specific  for  rattlesnake 
bites.  Use  both  internally  and  externally.  Give  the  patient  a  tea¬ 
spoonful  of  oil  every  hour  while  nausea  lasts.  Dip  pieces  of  cotton 
two  inches  square  in  the  oil  and  lay  the  saturated  cloth  over  the 
wound.  In  twenty  minutes  or  less  bubbles  and  froth  will  begin  to 
appear  on  the  surface  of  the  cloth.  Remove  the  square,  burn  it,  and 
replace  it  with  a  fresh  square  until  all  the  swelling  has  subsided. 
Where  rattlesnakes  abound  every  household  should  keep  a  six  or 
eight  ounce  vial  of  the  best  oil  ready  for  emergencies.  Avoid  rancid 
or  adulterated  oil.  No  whiskey  or  other  stimulant  is  needed,  and  in  a 
majority  of  cases  the  patient  is  much  better  off  without  any  other 
so-called  relief  than  that  afforded  by  the  oil. 

Relief  is  accelerated  if  some  one  with  mouth  and  lips  free  from 
sores  and  cracks  will  suck  the  poison  from  the  bite  before  applying 
the  patches  of  oil-saturated  cloth.  A  few  drops  of  oil  taken  in  the 
mouth  before  beginning  will  insure  exemption  from  any  disagreeable 
results. 

RATTLESNAKE  BITES— A  FAVORITE  REMEDY 

A  favorite  remedy  for  a  sufferer  from  rattlesnake  bite,  which 
proves  very  effective,  is  as  follows:  Iodide  of  potassium  four  grains, 
corrosive  sublimate  two  grains,  bromide  five  drachms.  Ten  drops  of 
this  compound  taken  in  one  or  two  tablespoonfuls  of  brandy  or 
whisky  make  a  dose,  to  be  repeated  at  intervals  if  necessary. 

POISON  IVY,  OAK  AND  SUMAC— REMEDIES 

It  is  unfortunate  that  some  of  the  most  attractive  plants  that  grow 
in  woods,  ivy,  oak  and  sumac,  for  instance,  are  poisonous  in  their 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


411 


effects.  They  act  differently,  however,  on  different  people,  for  some 
seem  not  to  be  susceptible  under  any  circumstances,  while  others  are 
poisoned  by  simple  contact  with  clothing  that  has  touched  the  noxious 
plant.  The  remedies  likewise  do  not  in  every  case  affect  people  with 
the  same  degree  of  success. 

Various  remedies  are  used  in  case  of  poisoning  from  ivy.  The 
affected  parts  may  be  bathed  with  water  in  which  hemlock  twigs  or 
oak  leaves  have  been  steeped.  Fresh  lime  water  and  wet  salt  are 
likewise  recommended.  Spirits  of  niter  will  help  to  heal  the  parts 
when  bathed  freely  with  it.  Another  suggestion  is  to  bathe  the 
poisoned  part  thoroughly  with  clear  hot  water,  and  when  dry  paint 
the  place  freely  three  or  four  times  a  day  with  a  feather  dipped  in 
strong  tincture  of  lobelia.  A  similar  application  of  fluid  extract  of 
gelsemium  sempervirens  (yellow  jessamine)  is  likewise  very  effective. 

BEE  AND  WASP  STINGS— HOW  TO  SOOTHE  THEM 

A  beekeeper  advises  those  vdio  are  around  bees  should  have  a 
small  bottle  of  tincture  of  myrrh.  As  soon  as  one  is  stung  apply  a 
litle  of  the  tincture  to  the  sting,  when  the  pain  and  swelling  cease. 
It  will  also  serve  well  for  bites  of  spiders  and  poisonous  reptiles.  If 
an  onion  be  scraped  and  the  juicy  part  applied  to  the  sting  of  wasps 
or  bees  the  pain  will  be  relieved  quickly.  Ammonia  applied  to  a  bite 
from  a  poisonous  snake,  or  any  poisonous  animal,  or  sting  of  an 
insect,  will  give  immediate  relief  and  will  go  far  toward  completely 
curing  the  injury.  It  is  one  of  the  most  convenient  caustics  to  apply 
to  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog. 

BORAX  FOR  INSECT  BITES 

Dissolve  one  ounce  of  borax  in  one  pint  of  water  and  anoint  the 
bites  of  insects  with  the  solution.  This  is  good  for  the  irritation  of 
mosquito  bites  and  even  for  prickly  heat  and  like  summer  irritations. 
For  the  stings  of  bees  or  wasps  the  solution  should  be  twice  as  strong. 


412 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


Another  Simple  Remedy. — For  bee  or  wasp  stings  bathe  the  part 
affected  with  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  soda  each  in  a  little  warm 
water.  Apply  the  remedy  at  once  after  being  stung.  If  this  be  used 
just  after  one  is  stung  there  will  be  no  swelling.  If  one  is  off  in  the 
field  and  is  stung  take  a  common  hog  weed  and  rub  the  part  vigor¬ 
ously  therewith.  It  will  stop  the  pain  and  prevent  swelling. 


HOW  TO  TREAT  A  SPRAIN 

In  treating  a  sprain  wring  a  folded  flannel  out  of  boiling  water  by 
laying  it  in  a  thick  towel  and  twisting  the  ends  in  opposite  directions; 
shake  it  to  cool  it  a  little,  lay  it  on  the  painful  part  and  cover  it  with 
a  piece  of  dry  flannel.  Change  of  fomentations  until  six  have  been 
applied,  being  careful  not  to  have  them  so  hot  as  to  burn  the  skin. 
Bandage  the  part  if  possible,  and  in  six  or  eight  hours  repeat  the 
application.  As  soon  as  it  can  be  borne,  rub  well  with  extract  of 
witch  hazel. 

HOW  TO  TAKE  SORENESS  FROM  A  CUT  MADE  BY  GLASS 

If  one  should  sustain  a  wound  by  stepping  on  a  piece  of  glass,  as 
children  frequently  do,  soreness  and  much  pain  may  be  avoided  by 
smoking  the  wound  with  slow-burning  old  yarn  or  woolen  rags. 


NAIL  WOUNDS  IN  THE  FOOT— HOW  TO  RELIEVE  THE  PAIN 

To  relieve  from  the  suffering  produced  by  running  a  nail  in  the 
foot  of  a  horse  or  a  man,  take  peach  leaves,  bruise  them,  apply  to  the 
wound,  and  confine  with  a  bandage.  They  give  relief  almost  imme¬ 
diately  and  help  to  heal  the  wound.  Renew  the  application  twice  a 
day  if  necessary,  but  one  application  goes  far  to  destroy  the  pain. 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


413 


TURPENTINE  FOR  LOCKJAW 

A  simple  remedy  recommended  for  lockjaw  is  ordinary  turpentine. 
Warm  a  small  quantity  of  the  liquid  and  pour  it  on  the  wound,  no 
matter  where  the  wound  is,  and  relief  will  follow  immediately.  Noth¬ 
ing  better  can  be  applied  to  a  severe  cut  or  bruise  than  cold  turpen¬ 
tine,  which  is  very  prompt  in  its  action. 


BRUISES,  SPLINTERS,  CUTS  AND  BURNS— SIMPLE  REMEDIES 

The  Best  Treatment  for  a  Bruise  is  to  apply  soft  cloths  wet  with 
hot  water,  and  if  the  contusion  is  very  painful  a  little  laudanum  may 
be  added  to  the  water. . 

To  Extract  a  Splinter  from  a  child’s  hand,  fill  a  wide-mouthed 
bottle  half  full  of  very  hot  water  and  place  its  mouth  under  the 
injured  spot.  If  a  little  pressure  is  used  the  steam  in  a  few  moments 
will  extract  the  splinter. 

Before  Bandaging  a  Cut  wash  it  thoroughly  with  some  antiseptic 
solution.  When  it  is  perfectly  clean  bring  the  edges  together  and 
hold  in  place  with  warm  strips  of  adhesive  plastering.  Leave  a  place 
between  them  for  the  escape  of  blood,  and  apply  a  dressing  of  absorb¬ 
ent  gauze.  When  the  wound  is  entirely  healed  the  plaster  may  be 
easily  removed  by  moistening  at  first  with  alcohol. 

The  Stinging  Pain  of  a  Superficial  Bum  may  be  instantly  allayed 
by  painting  with  flexible  collodion,  white  of  egg,  or  mucilage.  If  the 
skin  is  broken  apply  a  dressing  of  boracic  acid  ointment  or  vaseline. 


BURNS  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT 

Common  cooking  soda,  as  found  in  every  kitchen,  is  a  convenient 
remedy  for  burns  and  scalds.  Moisten  the  injured  part  and  then 
sprinkle  with  dry  soda  so  as  to  cover  it  entirely  and  loosely  wrap  it 
with  a  wet  linen  cloth. 

Another  convenient  remedy  for  the  same  kind  of  injury,  if  you 


414 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


have  a  mucilage  bottle  at  hand,  is  to  brush  or  pour  a  coating  of  the 
mucilage  over  the  entire  injured  part.  The  chief  cause  for  pain  from 
burns  and  scalds  is  their  exposure  to  the  air,  and  the  mucilage  coat¬ 
ing  will  keep  the  air  from  coming  in  contact  with  the  inflamed  tissue. 

The  following  is  the  recommendation  of  an  eminent  physician  for 
treating  burns  from  gunpowder: 

“In  Burns  from  Gunpowder,  where  the  powder  has  been  deeply 
imbedded  in  the  skin,  a  large  poultice  made  of  common  molasses  and 
wheat  flour,  applied  over  the  burnt  surface,  is  the  very  best  thing  that 
can  be  used,  as  it  seems  to  draw  the  powder  to  the  surface,  and  keeps 
the  parts  so  soft  that  the  formation  of  scars  does  not  occur.  It  should 
be  removed  twice  a  day,  and  the  part  washed  with  a  shaving  brush 
and  warm  water  before  applying  the  fresh  poultice.  The  poultice 
should  be  made  sufficiently  soft  to  admit  of  its  being  readily  spread 
on  a  piece  of  cotton.  In  cases  in  which  the  skin  and  muscles  have 
been  completely  filled  with  the  burnt  powder  we  have  seen  the  parts 
heal  perfectly  without  leaving  the  slightest  mark  todndicate  the  posi¬ 
tion  or  nature  of  the  injury.*’ 


COLD  WATER  FOR  ORDINARY  RECENT  BURNS 

The  best  treatment  for  ordinary  recent  burns  at  first  is  cold  water, 
which  soothes  and  deadens  the  suffering.  The  burnt  part  should, 
therefore,  be  placed  in  cold  water,  or  thin  cloths  dipped  in  the  cool 
liquid  should  be  applied  and  frequently  renewed.  In  a  short  time, 
however,  the  cold  water  fails  to  relieve  and  then  rags  dipped  in 
carron  oil  (a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  linseed  oil  and  lime  water, 
well  shaken  before  using)  should  be  substituted  for  the  water.  When 
the  treatment  with  carron  oil  begins,  however,  care  should  be  taken 
to  keep  the  rag  moist  with  it  until  the  burn  heals.  This  is  the  main 
point  in  the  treatment,  so  the  authorities  say.  The  cloth  must  not  be 
removed  or  changed. 


EULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


415 


TO  RELIEVE  A  SCALDED  MOUTH 

To  relieve  a  scald  on  the  interior  of  the  mouth  from  taking  hot 
liquids,  gargle  with  a  solution  of  borax,  and  then  hold  in  the  mouth  a 
mucilage  of  slippery  elm,  swallowing  it  slowly  if  the  throat  also  has 
been  scalded.  The  slippery  elm  may  be  mixed  with  olive  oil. 

HOW  TO  BRING  THE  APPARENTLY  DROWNED  TO  LIFE 

The  bringing  to  life  of  those  who  are  apparently  drowned  is 
something  that  should  be  understood  by  every  person,  for  such  emer¬ 
gencies  may  rise  at  any  time  or  place  when  no  professional  relief 
is  at  hand.  There  are  astonishing  instances  of  revival  after  a  consid¬ 
erable  time  has  passed,  and  it  is  worth  while  to  persist  in  the  effort 
most  energetically  and  constantly  for  a  long  time  before  hope  is 
given  up.  The  following  rules  for  saving  the  life  of  those  who  are 
apparently  drowned  are  made  up  from  various  sources,  official  and 
otherwise,  and  may  be  accepted  as  thoroughly  reliable. 

Whatever  method  is  adopted  to  produce  artificial  breathing,  the 
patient  should  be  stripped  to  the  waist  and  the  clothing  should  be 
loosened  below  the  waist,  so  that  there  shall  be  no  restraint  on  the 
movement  of  the  chest  and  body.  Lose  no  time  in  beginning.  Remove 
the  froth  and  mucus  from  the  mouth  and  nostrils  and  the  mud,  too, 
if  any  has  been  drawn  in.  Hold  the  body  for  a  few  seconds  with  the 
head  sloping  downward,  so  that  the  water  may  run  out  of  the  lungs 
and  windpipe. 

The  tip  of  the  tongue  must  b.e  drawn  forward  and  out  of  the 
mouth,  as  otherwise  it  will  fall  back  into  the  throat  and  impede 
breathing.  This  is  an  important  matter,  for  if  it  is  not  done  success¬ 
fully  all  that  would  otherwise  be  gained  by  artificial  breathing  may 
not  be  accomplished.  If  you  are  not  alone  the  matter  becomes  simpler. 
Let  a  bystander  grasp  the  tongue  with  a  dry  handkerchief  to  prevent 
it  slipping  from  the  fingers,  or  he  may  cover  his  fingers  with  sand 
for  the  same  purpose.  If  you  are  alone  with  the  patient  draw  the 


416 


EXILES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


tongue  well  out  and  tie  it  against  the  lower  teeth  in  this  manner:  Lay 
the  center  of  a  dry  strip  of  cloth  on  the  tongue,  which  is  drawn  out 
over  the  teeth,  and  cross  it  under  the  chin.  Carry  the  ends  around  the 
neck  and  tie  them  at  the  sides  of  the  neck,  which  will  keep  the  tongue 
from  slipping  hack.  You  are  now  ready  to  begin  the  actual  restora¬ 
tion  of  life. 

If  the  ground  is  sloping  turn  the  patient  upon  the  face,  the  head 
down  hill;  step  astride  the  hips,  your  face  toward  the  head,  lock 
your  fingers  together  under  the  abdomen,  raise  the  body  as  high  as  you 
can  without  lifting  the  forehead  from  the  ground,  give  the  body  a 
smart  jerk  to  remove  the  accumulating  mucus  from  the  throat  and 
water  from  the  windpipe;  hold  the  body  suspended  long  enough  to 
slowly  count  five;  then  repeat  the  jerks  two  or  three  times. 

The  patient  being  still  upon  the  ground,  face  down,  and  maintain¬ 
ing  all  the  while  your  position  astride  the  body,  grasp  the  points  of 
the  shoulders  by  the  clothing,  or,  if  the  body  be  naked,  thrust  your 
fingers  into  the  armpits,  clasping  your  thumbs  under  the  points  of 
the  shoulders,  and  raise  the  chest  as  high  as  you  can  without  lifting 
the  head  quite  otf  the  ground  and  hold  it  long  enough  to  slowly  count 
three. 

Replace  the  patient  slowly  upon  the  ground,  with  the  forehead 
upon  the  bent  arm,  the  neck  straightened  out,  and  the  mouth  and 
nose  free.  Place  your  elbows  against  your  knees  and  your  hands  upon 
the  sides  of  his  chest  over  the  lower  ribs,  and  press  downward  and 
inward  with  increasing  force  long  enough  to  slowly  count  two.  Then 
suddenly  let  go,  grasp  the  shoulders  as  before,  and  raise  the  chest; 
then  press  upon  the  ribs,  etc.  These  alternate  movements  should  be 
repeated  ten  to  fifteen  times  a  minute  for  an  hour  at  least,  unless 
breathing  is  restored  sooner.  Use  the  same  regularity  as  in  natural 
breathing. 

After  breathing  has  commenced  and  not  before,  unless  there  is  a 
house  very  close,  get  the  patient  where  covering  may  be  obtained,  to 
restore  the  animal  heat.  Wrap  in  warm  blankets,  apply  bottles  of 
hot  water,  hot  bricks,  etc.,  to  aid  in  the  restoration  of  heat.  Warm 


EULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


417 


the  head  nearly  as  fast  as  the  body,  lest  convulsions  come  on.  Rub¬ 
bing  the  body  with  warm  cloths  or  the  hand  and  gently  slapping  the 
fleshy  parts  may  assist  to  restore  warmth  and  the  breathing  also. 

When  the  patient  can  swallow  give  hot  cotfee,  tea  or  milk.  Give 
spirits  sparingly,  lest  they  produce  depression.  Place  the  patient  in  a 
warm  bed,  give  him  plenty  of  fresh  air  and  keep  him  quiet. 

Another  method  which  is  perhaps  simpler  than  the  first  and 
equally  effective  is  as  follows: 

The  water  and  mucus  are  supposed  to  have  been  removed  from 
the  mouth,  and  the  tongue  secured  by  the  means  above  described.  The 
patient  is  to  be  placed  on  his  back,  with  a  roll  made  of  a  coat  or  a 
shawl  under  the  shoulders.  The  nurse  should  kneel  at  the  head  and 
grasp  the  elbows  of  the  patient  and  draw  them  upward  until  the 
hands  are  carried  above  the  head  and  kept  in  this  position  until 
one,  two,  three  can  be  slowly  counted.  This  movement  elevates  the 
ribs,  expands  the  chest  and  creates  a  vacuum  in  the  lungs  into  which 
the  air  rushes,  or,  in  other  words,  the  movement  produces  inspiration. 
The  elbows  are  then  slowly  carried  downward,  placed  by  the  sides 
and  pressed  inward  against  the  chest,  thereby  diminishing  the  size  of 
the  latter  and  producing  expiration.  These  movements  should  be 
repeated  about  fifteen  times  during  each  minute  for  at  least  two 
hours,  provided  the  signs  of  animation  present  themselves. 


WHEN  ONE  FALLS  INTO  THE  WATER 

If  a  person  who  cannot  swim  falls  into  deep  water,  it  is  still 
possible  in  many  instances  for  him  to  save  his  own  life  if  he  can  keep 
his  wits  about  him.  Remember  that  one  always  rises  to  the  surface 
at  once  after  falling  into  deep  water,  and  that  the  person  must  not 
raise  his  arms  or  hands  above  the  water  unless  there  is  something  to 
take  hold  of,  for  the  weight  thus  raised  will  sink  the  head  below  the 
point  of  safety.  Motions  of  the  hands  under  water,  however,  will  do 
no  harm,  for  in  quiet  water,  with  the  head  thrown  back  a  little,  the 
face  will  float  above  the  surface  unless  heavy  boots  and  clothing  drag 
27—1,  S 


418 


EULES  FOE  EMEEGENCIES 


the  person  down.  The  slow  motion  of  the  legs  as  if  walking  upstairs, 
keeping  as  nearly  perpendicular  as  possible,  will  help  to  keep  one 
afloat  until  aid  comes. 

WHAT  TO  DO  IN  CASE  OF  SUFFOCATION 

Suffocation  from  any  cause  may  be  treated  in  some  details  the 
same  as  apparent  drowning. 

For  suffocation  from  hanging,  remove  all  the  clothing  from  the 
upper  part  of  the  body  and  proceed  to  restore  breathing  in  the  way 
directed  under  the  subject  of  drowning.  Of  course  if  the  neck  is 
broken  there  is  no  hope  in  this. 

For  suffocation  from  gas  and  poisonous  vapors,  get  the  person  into 
the  open  air,  relieve  the  lungs  of  the  gas  and  restore  natural  breath¬ 
ing  in  the  same  way  as  directed  in  case  of  drowning.  Throw  cold 
water  upon  the  face  and  breast  and  hold  strong  vinegar  to  the  nostrils 
of  the  patient.  If  oxygen  can  be  obtained  promptly,  it  should  be 
forced  into  the  lungs. 

HOW  TO  REVIVE  A  FAINTING  PERSON 

In  a  case  of  fainting  lay  the  patient  on  his  back  with  his  head 
slightly  lower  than  his  feet.  Be  sure  that  the  room  is  fully  ventilated 
with  fresh  air,  and  rub  gently  the  palms  of  the  hands,  the  wrists,  the 
arms  and  the  forehead.  Sprinkle  a  little  cold  water  upon  the  face 
and  hold  to  the  nose  a  napkin  upon  which  spirits  of  camphor,  ether, 
ammonia  or  vinegar  has  been  sprinkled. 

SUNSTROKE  AND  HOW  TO  TREAT  IT 

In  case  of  sunstroke  get  the  patient  into  the  coolest  place  you  can, 
loosen  the  clothes  about  his  neck  and  waist,  lay  him'  down  with  his 
head  a  little  raised,  and  cool  him  off  as  promptly  as  possible.  Cloths 
wrung  out  in  cold  water,  applied  to  the  head,  wrists  and  soles  of  the 
feet,  are  the  simplest  applications.  In  severe  cases  of  extreme  prostra- 


EULES  FOE  EMEEGENCIES 


419 


tion  from  sunstroke,  the  patient  should  be  immersed  in  cold  water, 
and  even  in  an  ice  pack  to  get  prompt  results.  After  a  little  recovery 
is  visible  careful  nursing  is  the  next  important  thing.  Sunstroke  is 
commonly  a  summer  disease,  but  the  same  conditions  may  come  from 
overwork  in  extremely  hot  rooms.  It  begins  with  pain  in  the  head, 
or  dizziness,  quickly  followed  by  a  loss  of  consciousness  and  complete 
prostration.  The  head  is  often  burning  hot,  the  face  dark  and  swollen, 
the  breathing  labored,  and  the  extremities  are  cold.  If  the  latter  detail 
is  observed,  mustard  or  turpentine  should  be  applied  to  the  calves  of 
the  legs  and  the  soles  of  the  feet,  after  which  the  hands  should  be 
chafed  with  flannels  or  with  the  palms  of  the  hands.  In  case  of  gen¬ 
uine  sunstroke  lose  no  time  in  calling  the  doctor. 

FREEZING  AND  HOW  TO  TREAT  A  CASE 

In  cases  of  severe  freezing,  when  a  person  is  apparently  frozen  to 
death,  great  caution  is  needed.  Keep  the  body  in  a  cold  place,  handle 
it  carefully,  and  rub  it  with  cold  water  or  snow  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes.  When  the  surface  is  red,  wipe  it  perfectly  dry  and  rub  with 
bare  warm  hands.  The  person  should  be  then  wrapped  in  a  blanket 
and  breathing  restored  if  possible  as  already  directed.  It  may  be 
necessary  to  continue  the  treatment  energetically  for  several  hours. 
A  little  lukewarm  water,  or  wine,  or  ginger  tea  is  recommended  for 
the  patient  to  swallow  as  soon  as  possible. 

THE  EYES  AND  HOW  TO  CARE  FOR  THEM 

Here  are  some  simple  and  sound  rules  for  care  of  the  eyes,  as 
formulated  by  a  recognized  authority  on  the  subject.  Avoid  reading 
and  study  by  poor  lights.  Light  should  come  from  the  side  of  the 
reader,  and  not  from  the  back  nor  from  the  front.  Do  not  read  or 
study  while  suffering  great  bodily  fatigue  or  during  recovery  from 
illness.  Do  not  read  while  lying  down.  Do  not  use  the  eyes  too  long 
at  a  time  for  anything  that  requires  close  application,  but  give  them 
occasional  periods  of  rest.  Eeading  and  study  should  be  done  sys¬ 
tematically.  During  study  avoid  the  stooping  position,  or  whatever 


420 


EXILES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


tends  to  produce  congestion  of  the  blood  in  the  head  and  face.  Read 
with  the  book  on  a  level  with  the  eyes,  or  nearly  so,  instead  of  in 
your  lap.  Select  well  printed  books.  Correct  imperfection  in  sight 
with  proper  glasses,  not  selected  carelessly  by  yourself  or  bought  from 
an  irresponsible  wandering  peddler,  but  properly  fitted  by  an  educated 
optician.  Avoid  bad  hygienic  conditions  and  the  use  of  alcohol  and 
tobacco.  Take  sufficient  exercise  in  the  open  air.  Let  physical  culture 
keep  pace  with  mental  development,  for  imperfection  in  eyesight  is 
most  usually  observed  in  those  who  are  lacking  in  physical  develop¬ 
ment. 

STYES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT 

A  stye  is  a  small  boil  which  projects  from  the  edge  of  the  eyelid, 
and  is  sometimes  much  inflamed  and  very  painful.  A  poultice  of 
linseed  meal  or  bread  and  milk  will  soothe  it  and  soften  it.  When  the 
stye  forms  a  head  showing  matter,  pierce  it  with  a  clean,  sharp 
needle  and  then  apply  some  mild,  soothing  ointment. 

TO  TAKE  THE  COLOR  FROM  A  BLACK  EYE 

A  black  eye  is  usually  caused  by  a  blow  and  may  be  a  very  disfig¬ 
uring  object.  If  inflamed  and  painful  wash  the  eye  often  with  very 
warm  water,  in  which  is  dissolved  a  little  carbonate  of  soda.  A  re¬ 
peated  application  of  cloths  wrung  out  of  very  hot  water  gives  relief. 
A  poultice  of  slippery  elm  bark  mixed  with  milk  and  put  on  warm  is 
also  good.  To  remove  the  discoloration  of  the  eye  bind  on  a  poultice 
made  of  the  root  of  “Solomon’s  seal.”  It  is  often  found  sufficient  to 
apply  the  scraped  root  at  bedtime  to  the  closed  eye  and  the  blackness 
will  disappear  by  morning. 

TO  REMOVE  BITS  OF  DIRT  FROM  THE  EYE 

To  remove  dirt  or  foreign  particles  from  the  eye  take  a  hog’s 
bristle  and  double  it  so  as  to  form  a  loop.  Lift  the  eyelid  and  gently 
insert  the  loop  under  it.  Now  close  the  lid  down  upon  the  bristle, 
which  may  be  withdrawn  gently  and  the  dirt  should  come  with  it. 


EULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


421 


Another  Process. — Take  hold  of  the  upper  eyelid  with  the  fore¬ 
finger  and  thumb  of  each  hand,  draw  it  gently  forward  and  down 
over  the  lower  lid,  and  hold  it  in  this  position  for  about  a  minute. 
When  at  the  end  of  this  time  you  allow  the  eyelid  to  resume  its  place, 
a  flood  of  tears  will  wash  out  the  foreign  substance,  which  will  be 
found  near  the  lower  eyelid. 

If  lime  gets  into  the  eyes,  a  few  drops  of  vinegar  and  water  will 
dissolve  and  remove  it. 

Olive  oil  will  relieve  the  pain  caused  by  any  hot  fluid  that  may 
reach  the  eye. 

A  particle  of  iron  or  steel  may  be  extracted  from  the  eye  by 
holding  near  it  a  powerful  magnet. 

When  Something  Gets  into  Your  Eye. — An  easy  method  of  remov¬ 
ing  bits  of  foreign  bodies  from  the  eye  is  to  place  a  grain  of  flaxseed 
under  the  lower  lid  and  close  the  lids.  The  seed  becomes  quickly 
surrounded  by  a  thick  adherent  mucilage  which  entraps  the  foreign 
body  and  soon  carries  it  out  from  the  angle  of  the  eye. 


QUICK  RELIEF  FOR  EARACHE 

To  relieve  earache  take  a  small  piece  of  cotton  batting,  depress  it 
in  the  center  with  the  finger  and  fill  up  the  cavity  with  ground  black 
pepper.  Gather  it  into  a  ball  and  tie  it  with  thread.  Dip  the  pepper 
ball  into  sweet  oil  and  insert  it  in  the  ear,  then  putting  cotton  over 
the  ear  and  using  a  bandage  or  cap  to  keep  it  in  place.  This  applica¬ 
tion  will  give  immediate  relief  and  can  do  no  injury. 

Another  Remedy. — Take  a  common  tobacco  pipe,  put  a  wad  of 
cotton  into  the  bowl  and  drop  a  few  drops  of  chloroform  into  it. 
Cover  this  with  another  wad  of  cotton,  place  the  pipe  stem  to  the 
suffering  ear  and  blow  into  the  bowl.  The  chloroform  vapor  will  in 
many  cases  cause  the  pain  to  cease  almost  immediately. 


422 


EXILES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


INSECTS  IN  THE  EAR— TO  REMOVE 

To  destroy  insects  which  fly  or  crawl  into  the  ear,  pour  a  spoonful 
of  warm  olive  oil  into  the  ear  and  keep  it  there  for  some  hours  by 
means  of  a  wad  of  cotton  batting  and  a  bandage.  Afterward  it  may 
be  washed  out  with  warm  water  and  a  small  syringe. 


TOOTHACHE— A  QUICK  RELIEF 

One  of  the  best  mixtures  to  relieve  acute  pain  and  toothache  is 
made  as  follows:  Laudanum,  one  drachm;  gum  camphor,  four 
drachms;  oil  of  cloves,  one-half  drachm;  oil  of  lavender,  one  drachm; 
alcohol,  one  ounce;  sulphuric  ether,  six  drachms,  and  chloroform,  five 
drachms.  Apply  with  lint,  or  for  toothache  rub  on  the  gums  and 
upon  the  face  against  the  tooth. 

DISAGREEABLE  BREATH— HOW  TO  CURE 

Of  course  if  the  trouble  comes  from  the  teeth  by  decay,  it  is  a  case 
for  the  dentist,  and  if  because  the  teeth  are  not  properly  and  fre¬ 
quently  cleaned,  the  remedy  is  a  toothbrush  and  a  good  tooth  powder. 

Bad  breath,  however,  is  frequently  the  result  of  low  vitality  or 
torpidity  of  the  excretory  organs,  either  the  skin,  bowels,  kidneys, 
liver  or  lungs.  Should  one  of  these,  the  bowels,  for  instance,  become 
affected,  the  others  have  more  work  to  do.  The  lungs  then  have  to 
throw  off  some  of  this  waste  matter,  and  the  result  is  bad  breath.  If 
from  one  of  these  causes,  or  from  the  stomach,  or  from  catarrh  in  the 
nose,  a  doctor  should  be  called  to  treat  the  difficulty  intelligently. 

For  temporary  cleansing  of  the  breath,  however,  the  following 
recommendations  are  good.  A  teaspoonful  of  listerine  to  half  a  glass 
of  water  makes  a  wholesome  and  refreshing  gargle  and  mouth  wash. 
No  harm  is  done  if  some  of  it  be  swallowed.  A  teaspoonful  of  pow¬ 
dered  charcoal  is  a  good  dose  to  take.  A  teaspoonful  of  chlorine  water 
in  half  a  glass  of  water  makes  another  good  mouth  wash. 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


423 


Of  course  tlie  teeth  should  he  brushed  twice  a  day  at  all  times, 
and  the  listerine  is  the  best  of  lotions  for  that  use,  particularly  when 
used  alternately  with  powdered  chalk  to  whiten  the  teeth.  Do  not 
use  a  brush  that  is  too  stiff,  and  never  brush  so  hard  that  you  make 
the  gums  bleed. 


TO  STOP  NOSEBLEED 

A  correspondent  in  the  Scientific  American  declares  that  the  best 
remedy  for  nosebleed  is  in  the  vigorous  motion  of  the  jaws,  as  if  in 
the  act  of  chewing.  A  child  may  be  given  a  wad  of  paper  or  a  piece 
of  gum  and  instructed  to  chew  steadily  and  hard.  It  is  the  motion 
of  the  jaws  that  stops  the  flow  of  blood. 


HICCOUGHS— A  SIMPLE  CURE 

A  safe  and  convenient  remedy  for  hiccoughs  is  to  moisten  a  tea¬ 
spoonful  of  granulated  sugar  with  a  few  drops  of  vinegar.  The  dose 
is  easy  to  take  and  the  effect  is  almost  immediate. 


FELONS  OR  WHITLOWS  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT 

A  felon,  or  whitlow,  although  not  very  large,  may  become  not  only 
very  painful  but  dangerous  if  neglected.  The  milder  ones  may  be 
treated  with  hot  water,  cloths  and  poultices,  and  if  matter  forms  may 
be  relieved  by  a  lancet.  There  are  others,  however,  which,  if  neglected, 
gradually  affect  the  bone  of  the  finger  where  they  form,  and  these  need 
the  attention  of  a  surgeon  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  be  very  trouble¬ 
some. 

As  soon  as  the  finger  begins  to  swell  wrap  the  part  affected  with 
cloth  soaked  thoroughly  with  tincture  of  lobelia.  This  rarely  fails  to 
cure.  Another  simple  remedy  is  to  stir  one-half  teaspoonful  of  water 
into  one  ounce  of  Venice  turpentine  until  the  mixture  appears  like 
granulated  honey.  Coat  the  finger  with  it  and  bandage.  The  pain 


424 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


should  vanish  in  a  few  hours.  A  poultice  of  linseed  and  slippery  elm 
will  help  to  draw  the  felon  to  a  head,  and  when  a  small  white  spot  in 
the  center  of  the  swelling  indicates  the  formation  of  matter  it  should 
be  carefully  opened  with  the  point  of  a  large  needle.  A  poultice  of 
powdered  hops  will  help  to  relieve  the  pain. 

SIMPLE  CURE  FOR  WARTS 

Oil  of  cinnamon  dropped  on  warts  three  or  four  times  a  day  will 
cause  their  disappearance,  however  hard,  large,  or  dense  they  may  be. 
The  application  gives  no  pain  and  causes  no  suppuration. 

CORNS  AND  CORN  CURES 

Corns  are  always  the  result  of  continued  pressure,  such  as  wearing 
shoes  too  small  or  not  properly  fitted  to  the  foot.  At  first  they  are 
merely  thickenings  of  the  outer  skin,  but  in  time  they  come  to  be 
connected  with  the  true  skin  beneath,  and  even  with  the  muscles. 
There  are  almost  as  many  corn  cures  advertised  and  recommended 
as  there  are  corns,  and  sometimes  they  all  fail,  but  here  are  a  few 
of  the  most  approved: 

Soak  the  corn  for  half  an  hour  in  a  solution  of  soda,  and  after 
paring  it  as  closely  as  possible  without  pain  apply  a  plaster  of  the 
following  ingredients:  Purified  ammonia,  two  ounces;  yellow  wax, 
two  ounces,  and  acetate  of  copper,  six  drachms.  Melt  the  first  two 
together  and  after  removing  them  from  the  fire  add  the  copper  acetate 
just  before  they  grow  cold.  Spread  this  ointment  on  a  piece  of  soft 
leather  or  on  linen  and  bind  it  in  place.  If  this  application  is  kept  on 
the  com  faithfully  for  two  weeks  there  should  be  a  certain  cure. 

The  soft  corn  occurs  between  the  toes  and  from  the  same  causes, 
but  in  consequence  of  the  moisture  which  reaches  it,  it  remains  per¬ 
manently  soft.  It  may  be  healed  by  first  cutting  away  the  thick  skin 
from  the  surface,  then  touching  it  with  a  drop  of  Friar’s  balsam  and 
keeping  a  piece  of  fresh  cotton  for  a  cushion  between  the  toes.  ^ 

Tincture  of  arnica  or  turpentine  will  serve  a  similar  purpose. 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


425 


A  small  piece  of  lemon  bandaged  over  a  corn  will  help  to  relieve 
the  pain  and  enable  it  to  be  treated  to  good  advantage. 

Corn  plasters  made  of  felt,  with  a  hole  punched  through  the  cen¬ 
ter,  will  cushion  the  troublesome  visitor  so  that  it  may  be  treated  with 
the  proper  remedies  and  the  pain  be  relieved  at  the  same  time. 


BOILS  AND  CARBUNCLES— HOW  TO  TREAT  THEM 

Boils  prove  that  an  impurity  exists  in  the  blood,  and  the  general 
health  should  be  improved  by  means  of  careful  diet  and  regular  habits. 
The  bowels  must  be  kept  open  and  regular,  and  the  food  should  be 
simple,  easily  digested,  and  not  heating. 

Poultice  the  boil  from  the  beginning  with  bread  and  linseed  meal 
mixed  with  a  little  glycerine  or  sweet  oil.  When  fully  to  a  head  and 
ripened  the  boil  should  be  opened  and  the  pus  drained  out.  Then 
dress  the  wound  with  some  soothing  ointment  spread  on  soft  linen. 

Carbuncles  are  apt  to  be  much  more  serious  than  ordinary  boils, 
and  are  very  weakening  to  the  system,  in  which  they  show  a  weakness 
already  to  exist.  They  should  be  carefully  poulticed  and  treated  as 
above,  but  the  best  advice  is  to  call  a  good  doctor  and  draw  on  his 
knowledge  of  treatment  at  once. 


THE  PROPER  WAY  TO  MAKE  A  MUSTARD  PLASTER 

The  making  of  a  mustard  plaster  may  seem  a  very  simple  thing, 
yet  there  are  few  households  in  which  it  is  properly  done.  Care  and 
attention  must  be  given  the  work  in  order  to  have  the  results  satis¬ 
factory. 

A  plaster  should  never  be  applied  cold  to  a  patient,  the  shock 
being  too  great.  It  should  either  be  mixed  with  warm  water  or  well 
heated  after  mixing.  Strong  ground  mustard  should  be  used,  a  little 
flour  added,  and  the  whole  stirred  to  a  smooth,  thick  paste  with  warm 
borax  water,  which  soothes  and  prevents  too  great  irritation.  Some 


426 


EXILES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


nurses  add  a  teaspoonful  of  molasses  or  mix  the  mustard  with  the 
white  of  an  egg.  When  prepared  spread  a  piece  of  old  linen  on  a  warm 
plate,  cover  with  the  mixture,  lay  a  second  cloth  over  and  apply  at 
once.  If  allowed  to  remain  on  until  the  skin  is  burned  or  blistered, 
bathe  gently  with  a  little  borax  water,  dry,  and  rub  with  vaseline. 

DANGER  IN  DAMP  SHEETS 

Among  the  dangers  which  beset  travelers  in  strange  hotels  and 
elsewhere  is  the  really  great  peril  of  sleeping  in  damp  sheets.  It  is 
hard  enough  to  secure  the  proper  airing  of  linen  and  clothes  at  home. 
Unless  each  article  is  unfolded  and  its  position  changed  until  all  the 
moisture  has  been  driven  out  of  it,  it  is  really  not  fully  dried.  As  a 
matter  of  fact  heavy  articles,  such  as  sheets,  are  scarcely  ever  thor¬ 
oughly  dry,  and  when  delicate  persons,  perhaps  fatigued  by  a  journey, 
seek  rest  in  a  bed  made  of  them,  they  risk  rheumatism  and  other  mis¬ 
chief.  In  case  of  doubt  it  is  better  to  remove  the  sheets  from  the  bed 
and  sleep  in  the  blankets  until  assured  that  the  linen  is  thoroughly  dry. 

TAR  AND  TURPENTINE  FOR  DIPHTHERIA 

The  vapors  of  tar  and  tarpentine  are  of  great  value  in  the  treat¬ 
ment  of  diphtheria.  The  process  is  simple.  Pour  equal  parts  of  tur¬ 
pentine  and  tar  into  a  tin  pan  or  cup  and  set  fire  to  the  mixture.  A 
dense  resinous  smoke  arises  which  clouds  the  air  of  the  room.  The 
patient  immediately  experiences  relief.  The  choking  and  rattle  in  the 
throat  stop,  the  patient  falls  into  a  slumber,  and  seems  to  inhale  the 
smoke  with  pleasure.  The  vapors  dissolve  the  fibrous  membrane  which 
chokes  up  the  throat  in  croup  and  diphtheria,  and  it  is  coughed  up 
readily.  A  remedy  so  convenient  and  so  easily  given  should  be  in 
every  household  for  prompt  use  when  necessary. 

Turpentine  also  is  a  convenient  remedy  for  croup.  Saturate  a 
piece  of  flannel  with  it  and  place  the  flannel  on  the  throat  and  chest. 
In  a  very  severe  case  three  or  four  drops  in  a  lump  of  sugar  may  be 
taken  internally. 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


427 


TO  PREVENT  PITTING  IN  SMALLPOX 

By  careful  treatment,  pitting  in  smallpox  may  be  generally  pre¬ 
vented.  One  successful  method  is  to  dissolve  India  rubber  in  chloro¬ 
form  and  then  paint  the  skin,  where  exposed,  with  this  solution,  by 
means  of  a  soft  cameFs-hair  brush.  When  the  chloroform  has  evap¬ 
orated,  which  it  very  soon  does,  a  thin  film  of  India  rubber  is  left  over 
the  face.  This  relieves  itching  and  irritation,  and  permits  the  patient 
to  be  more  comfortable  in  addition  to  preventing  the  pitting.  Another 
suggestion  is  to  keep  the  whole  body,  face  and  all,  covered  with  cala¬ 
mine,  or  native  carbonate  of  zinc,  which  must  be  purified  and  pulver¬ 
ized  for  the  purpose.  It  may  be  shaken  onto  the  body  from  a  com¬ 
mon  pepper  box.  To  assist  in  relieving  the  inflammation  sprinkle  an 
ounce  of  powdered  camphor  between  the  under  sheet  and  the  pad  on 
which  it  rests,  scattering  powder  the  whole  length  of  the  bed,  and 
freely  where  the  back  and  shoulders  are  lying.  This  gives  great 
relief  to  the  sufferer. 

MEDICAL  USES  OF  WHITE  OF  EGG 

It  may  not  be  generally  known  that  there  is  nothing  more  soothing 
for  either  a  burn  or  a  scald  than  the  white  of  an  egg.  It  is  contact 
with  the  air  which  makes  a  burn  so  painful,  and  the  egg  acts  as  a 
varnish,  and  excludes  the  air  completely,  and  also  prevents  inflam¬ 
mation.  An  egg  beaten  up  lightly,  with  or  without  a  little  sugar,  is  a 
good  remedy  in  cases  of  dysentery  and  diarrhea;  it  tends  by  its 
emollient  qualities  to  lessen  the  inflammation,  and  by  forming  a 
transient  coating  for  the  stomach  and  intestines  gives  those  organs  a 
chance  to  rest  until  nature  shall  have  assumed  her  healthful  sway 
over  the  diseased  body.  Two,  or  at  the  most  three,  eggs  a  day  would 
be  all  that  would  be  required  in  ordinary  cases,  and  since  the  egg  is 
not  only  medicine  but  food,  the  lighter  the  diet  otheixvise  and  the 
quieter  the  patient  is  kept  the  more  rapid  will  be  the  recovery. 


428 


EXILES  FOE  EMEEGENCIES 


LEMONS  OF  VALUE  IN  MANY  USES 

Lemons  have  a  very  wide  variety  of  uses.  For  all  people,  either 
in  sickness  or  in  health,  lemonade  is  a  safe  drink.  It  corrects  bilious¬ 
ness.  It  is  a  specific  or  positive  cure  for  many  kinds  of  worm  and 
skin  diseases.  Lemon  juice  is  the  best  remedy  known  to  prevent  and 
cure  scurvy.  If  the  gums  are  rubbed  daily  with  lemon  juice  it  will 
keep  them  in  health.  The  hands  and  the  nails  are  also  kept  clean, 
white  and  soft  by  the  daily  use  of  lemon  instead  of  soap.  It  also 
removes  freckles  and  prevents  chilblains.  Lemon  used  in  intermittent 
feved  is  mixed  with  strong,  hot  black  tea,  or  coffee  without  sugar. 
Neuralgia  may  be  relieved  by  rubbing  the  part  affected  with  a  lemon. 
It  is  valuable  also  for  curing  warts,  and  it  will  destroy  dandruff  on 
the  head  by  rubbing  the  roots  of  the  hair  with  it. 

PAINTED  WALLS  BEST  FOR  SICK  ROOMS 

The  walls  of  the  room  used  for  sickly  members  of  a  family  should 
be  painted  so  they  can  be  easily  washed.  The  painted  wall  is  the 
only  clean  wall.  A  papered  wall  is  an  abomination  where  there  is 
sickness,  and  a  plastered  wall  can  be  made  safe  only  by  frequent 
whitewashing.  But  the  painted  wall  may  be  washed  with  disinfect¬ 
ants  when  necessary,  and  when  painted  some  dainty  shade  it  is  never 
a  trial  to  sick  eyes. 

VALUE  OF  PLANTS  IN  THE  SICK  ROOM 

It  was  once  thought  that  it  was  injurious  to  the  sick  to  have  plants 
growing  in  the  room,  and  science  never  did  a  kinder  thing  than  when 
it  proved  the  contrary  to  be  true. 

TO  AVOID  CONTAGION  IN  THE  SICKROOM 

If  it  is  necessary  to  enter  a  sick  room,  particularly  where  there  is 
fever,  these  simple  rules  should  be  observed  to  avoid  contagion. 
Never  enter  fasting.  At  least  take  a  few  crackers  or  some  such 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


429 


simple  food  before  going  in.  Do  not  stand  between  the  patient  and 
the  door  where  the  current  of  air  would  naturally  strike  you.  Avoid 
sitting  on  or  touching  the  bed  clothes  as  much  as  possible,  and  do  not 
inhale  the  patient’s  breath.  The  hands  should  always  be  washed  in 
clean  water  before  leaving  the  room,  in  order  not  to  carry  infection 
by  them  to  other  people  or  things  you  may  need  to  touch.  After 
visiting  a  fever  patient  change  the  clothes  if  possible.  As  soon  as  a 
fever  is  over  and  the  patient  is  convalescent,  the  dress  which  has  been 
used  by  the  nurse  should  be  fumigated  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
bedding,  as  already  explained. 

LIME  AND  CHARCOAL  AS  DISINFECTANTS 

Housekeepers  are  gradually  being  educated  up  to  a  more  practical 
knowledge  of  the  laws  of  sanitation,  and  are  coming  to  understand 
that  cleanliness  consists  in  something  more  than  scrubbing  the  floors 
and  washing  the  windows.  Hence  the  following  hint:  A  barrel  each 
of  lime  and  charcoal  in  the  cellar  will  tend  to  keep  that  part  of  the 
house  dry  and  sweet.  A  bowl  of  lime  in  a  damp  closet  will  dry  and 
sweeten  it.  A  dish  of  charcoal  in  a  closet  or  refrigerator  will  do 
much  toward  making  these  places  sweet.  The  power  of  charcoal  to 
absorb  odors  is  much  greater  directly  after  it  has  been  burned  than 
when  it  has  been  exposed  to  the  air  for  a  length  of  time.  Charcoal 
may  be  purified  and  used  again  by  heating  it  to  a  red  heat.  The 
lime  must  be  kept  in  a  place  where  there  is  no  danger  of  its  getting  ' 
wet,  and  not  exposed  to  the  air. 

CHLORIDE  OF  LIME  AS  A  DISINFECTANT 

Chloride  of  lime  is  a  great  purifier  and  disinfectant.  One  pound 
of  it  mixed  with  three  gallons  of  water  makes  a  solution  which  may 
be  used  for  many  purposes.  To  purify  rooms,  sprinkle  it  on  the  floor 
and  even  on  the  bed  linen.  Infected  clothes  should  be  dipped  in  it 
and  wrung  out  just  before  they  are  washed.  The  lime  without  water 
may  be  sprinkled  about  slaughter  houses,  sinks,  water  closets  and 


430 


EULES  FOE  EMEEGENCIES 


wherever  there  are  offensive  odors,  and  in  a  few  days  the  smell  will 
pass  away.  The  odor  of  decaying  vegetables  or  of  dead  animals  is 
soon  dispersed  by  the  lime. 

HOW  TO  PURIFY  FOUL  WATER 

Two  ounces  of  permanganate  of  potash  thrown  into  a  cistern  will 
purify  foul  water  sufficiently  to  make  it  drinkable.  This  is  the  disin¬ 
fectant  known  as  “Condy’s  solution.”  It  is  used  in  destroying  the 
odors  in  the  hold  of  vessels,  and  for  many  other  disinfectant  uses. 

A  WORD  CONCERNING  GOOD  DIGESTION 

In  a  recent  novel  one  of  the  characters — a  woman,  of  course — is 
made  to  speak  the  following  interesting  sentiments  about  husbands: 
“The  very  best  of  them  don’t  properly  know  the  difference  between 
their  souls  and  their  stomachs,  and  they  fancy  they  are  wrestling 
with  their  doubts,  when  really  it  is  their  dinners  that  are  wrestling 
with  them.  Now,  take  Mr.  Bateson  hisself;  a  kinder  husband  or 
better  Methodist  never  drew  breath,  yet  so  sure  as  he  touches  a  bit  of 
pork  he  begins  to  worry  hisself  about  the  doctrine  of  election  till 
there’s  no  living  with  him.  And  then  he’ll  sit  in  the  front  parlor  and 
engage  in  prayer  for  hours  at  a  time  till  I  say  to  him,  ‘Bateson,’  says 
I,  ‘I’d  be  ashamed  to  go  troubling  the  Lord  with  such  a  prayer  when 
a  pinch  of  carbonate  o’  soda  would  set  things  straight  again.’  ” 

A  PRACTICAL  SPRING  REMEDY 

It  is  nourishing  and  helps  to  clear  out  the  system,  to  give  sulphur 
and  molasses  every  night  for  nine  days  some  time  during  the  spring. 
Sulphur  and  cream  of  tartar  may  be  given  instead.  This  may  be 
made  into  little  pills,  using  a  little  molasses  to  form  a  paste,  and  each 
pill  being  rolled  in  sugar. 

CASTOR  OIL— MAKING  IT  EASY  TO  TAKE 

Castor  oil  may  be  taken  with  ease  if  its  taste  be  disguised.  One 
way  is  to  put  a  tablespoonful  of  orange  juice  in  a  glass,  pour  the 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


431 


castor  oil  into  the  center  of  the  juice,  where  it  will  stay  without 
mixing,  and  then  squeeze  a  few  drops  of  lemon  juice  upon  the  top  of 
the  oil,  rubbing  some  of  the  same  juice  on  the  edge  of  the  glass.  The 
person  who  drinks  the  dose  without  delay  will  find  the  nauseous 
flavor  completely  covered. 

The  French  administer  castor  oil  to  children  in  a  novel  way. 
They  pour  the  oil  into  a  pan  over  the  fire,  break  an  egg  into  it  and 
“scramble”  them  together.  When  it  is  cooked  they  add  a  little  salt 
or  sugar  or  some  jelly,  and  the  sick  child  eats  it  agreeably  without 
discovering  the  disguise. 

Castor  oil  may  be  beaten  with  the  white  of  an  egg  until  they  are 
thoroughly  mixed  and  not  difficult  to  take. 

CREAM  OF  TARTAR  A  MILD  CATHARTIC 

Cream  of  tartar  is  a  good  laxative.  Take  a  teaspoonful  mixed 
with  a  little  sugar  in  a  cup  of  warm  water  at  night.  If  it  does  not 
have  the  desired  effect,  repeat  the  dose  in  the  morning.  It  will  often 
work  off  colds  and  other  maladies  in  their  incipient  stage. 

BOILED  MILK  FOR  BOWEL  DISEASES 

Boiled  milk,  taken  while  still  hot,  is  one  of  the  best  of  foods  in 
almost  all  bowel  complaints,  and  is  very  successful  as  a  remedy.  In 
India,  where  the  climate  produces  many  such  ailments,  it  is  in  con¬ 
stant  use  for  such  purposes.  A  physician  in  practice  there  says  that 
a  pint  every  four  hours  will  check  the  most  violent  diarrhea,  stomach 
ache,  incipient  cholera  or  dysentery.  It  is  soothing  and  healing  to 
the  whole  digestive  tract.  No  patient  will  need  other  food  during 
bowel  troubles,  so  that  the  same  simple  preparation  serves  at  once 
for  medicine  and  nourishment. 

WHEN  TO  EAT  FRUIT  AND  WHY 

If  people  ate  more  fruit  they  would  take  less  medicine  and  have 
much  better  health.  There  is  an  old  saying  that  fruit  is  gold  in  the 
morning  and  lead  at  night.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  may  be  gold  at 


482 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


both  times,  but  it  should  be  eaten  on  an  empty  stomach,  and  not  as  a 
dessert,  when  the  appetite  is  .satisfied  and  the  digestion  is  already 
sufficiently  taxed.  Fruit  taken  in  the  morning  before  the  fast  of  the 
night  has  been  broken  is  very  refreshing,  and  it  serves  as  a  stimulus 
to  the  digestive  organs.  A  ripe  apple  or  an  orange  may  be  taken  at 
this  time  with  good  effect.  Fruit  to  be  really  valuable  as  an  article 
of  diet  should  be  ripe,  sound  and  in  every  way  of  good  quality,  and  if 
possible  it  should  be  eaten  raw.  Instead  of  eating  a  plate  of  ham  and 
eggs  and  bacon  for  breakfast,  most  people  would  do  far  better  if  they 
took  some  grapes,  pears  or  apples — fresh  fruit  as  long  as  it  is  to  be 
had,  and  after  that  they  can  fall  back  on  stewed  prunes,  figs,  etc.  If 
only  fruit  of  some  sort  formed  an  important  item  in  their  breakfast 
women  would  generally  feel  brighter  and  stronger,  and  would  have 
far  better  complexions  than  is  the  rule  at  present. 

FOR  FEVER  OR  SORE  THROAT  PATIENTS 

Pivt  some  ice  in  a  towel  and  crush  it  until  it  is  as  fine  as  snow  and 
of  an  even  fineness.  Then  squeeze  on  it  the  juice  of  an  orange  or 
lemon,  and  sprinkle  over  it  a  little  sugar.  It  is  a  very  pleasant  food 
for  persons  suffering  with  sore  throat. 

WAKEFULNESS  CURED  BY  LEMON  JUICE 

The  wakefulness  that  comes  from  drinking  too  strong  tea  or 
coffee  can  be  conquered,  says  a  household  informant,  by  swallowing 
a  dash  of  fresh  lemon  juice  from  a  quartered  lemon,  placed  in  readiness 
on  the  bedside  table,  and  taken  at  the  time  you  discover  that  sleep 
will  not  come. 

FRUIT  AS  AN  ANTIDOTE  FOR  INTEMPERANCE 

A  writer  in  a  European  temperance  journal  calls  attention  to  the 
value  of  fruit  as  an  antidote  to  the  craving  for  liquor.  He  says:  “In 
Germany,  a  nation  greatly  in  advance  of  other  countries  in  matters 
relative  to  hygiene,  alcoholic  disease  has  been  successfully  coped  with 
by  dieting  and  natural  curative  agencies.  I  have  said  that  the  use 
of  fresh  fruit  is  an  antidote  for  drink  craving,  and  this  is  true. 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


433 


“The  explanation  is  simple.  Fruit  may  be  called  nature’s  medi¬ 
cine.  Every  apple,  every  orange,  every  plum  and  every  grape  is  a 
bottle  of  medicine.  An  orange  is  three  parts  water — distilled  in 
nature’s  laboratory — but  this  water  is  rich  in  peculiar  fruit  acids 
medicinally  balanced,  which  are  specially  cooling  to  the  thirst  of  the 
drunkard  and  soothing  to  the  diseased  state  of  his  stomach.  An  apple 
or  an  orange,  eaten  when  the  desire  for  ‘a  glass’  arises,  would  gen¬ 
erally  take  it  away,  and  every  victory  would  make  less  strong  each 
recurring  temptation. 

“The  function  of  fresh  fruit  and  succulent  vegetables  is  not  so 
much  to  provide  solid  nourishment  as  to  supply  the  needful  acids  of 
the  blood.  Once  get  the  blood  pure  and  every  time  its  pure  nutrient 
stream  bathes  the  several  tissues  of  the  body  it  will  bring  away  some 
impurity  and  leave  behind  an  atom  of  healthy  tissue,  until,  in  time, 
the  drunkard  shall  stand  up  purified — in  his  right  mind.” 

HOME  REMEDY  FOR  CONSUMPTION 

Dr.  B.  J.  Kendall,  of  Saratoga  Springs,  New  York,  urges  the  use 
of  milk  strippings  in  curing  consumption.  He  says  that  milk  strip¬ 
pings  taken  in  large  quantities  immediately  after  milking,  before 
the  animal  heat  has  departed,  are  the  most  potent  remedy  known  for 
building  up  a  poor,  debilitated  person  who  is  suffering  with  consump¬ 
tion.  “This  was  only  a  theory  of  mine  years  ago,”  he  says,  “but 
now  I  know  it  to  be  a  fact,  for  I  have  demonstrated  it  to  be  so.  I 
wish  to  say  it  emphatically.  If  you  want  to  get  well  drink  a  quart  of 
strippings.  I  do  not  mean  any  milk  from  any  cow,  however  poor 
milk  she  may  give,  nor  do  I  mean  to  take  it  in  a  haphazard  sort  of  a 
way,  cold  or  warmed  up  or  just  as  it  may  best  suit  your  convenience; 
but  take  it  regularly,  at  the  proper  time,  and  in  the  proper  manner, 
and  have  all  your  diet  and  habits  regulated  by  proper  hygienic  laws.” 

STAMMERING  CURED  AT  HOME 

It  is  said  that  stammering  can  be  cured  by  this  plan:  Go  into  a 
room  alone  with  a  book  and  read  aloud  to  yourself  for  two  hours, 

28— L  S 


434 


RULES  FOR  EMERGENCIES 


keeping  your  teeth  tightly  shut  together.  Do  this  every  two  or  three 
days,  or  once  a  week  if  very  tiresome,  always  taking  care  to  read 
slowly  and  distinctly,  moving  the  lips,  but  not  the  teeth.  Then  when 
conversing  with  others  try  to  speak  as  slowly  as  possible,  keeping 
your  mind  made  up  not  to  stammer.  Undoubtedly  your  teeth  and 
jaws  will  ache  while  you  are  doing  it,  but  the  result  will  be  good 
enough  to  pay  for  the  discomfort. 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 

SOCIAL  FORMS  AND  ETIQUETTE: 

Street  Etiquette— Visiting— The  Use  of  Cards— Home  Man¬ 
ners — Full  Dress  and  Party  Etiquette — Rules  for  Christ¬ 
enings,  Weddings,  Funerals,  Conversation,  Correspond¬ 
ence,  and  Official  Forms  of  Address. 


True  politeness  is  the  outward  expression  of  a  delicate  and  con¬ 
siderate  soul.  There  are  a  few  in  this  world  whose  personalities  are 
so  high  and  strong  and  tender  that  they  may  conduct  themselves 
before  all  classes  of  people,  meet  all  grades  of  society,  and  never  by 
their  words  or  acts  give  otfense.  But  for  the  most  of  us,  however 
good  at  heart,  a  little  knowledge  of  social  etiquette  is  assuredly  not  a 
dangerous  thing,  and  even  if  the  majority  of  accepted  rules  are  but 
an  ‘  ‘  old  story,  ’  ’  many  ,of  us  will  find,  perhaps,  by  carefully  reviewing 
them  that  we  have  either  forgotten  some  of  them,  or  carelessly  neg¬ 
lected  them. 

We  continue  the  subject  by  offering  a  conundrum: 

Question — Wliat  is  the  Keynote  of  good  manners? 

Answer — B  Natural. 

It  is  presupposed,  however,  that  the  nature  of  the  person  who  acts 
naturally  in  society  is  of  high  grade;  for  if  his  nature  is  boorish  and 
without  training  in  the  forms  of  social  etiquette,  he  will  act  like  a 
boor.  The  fact  therefore  redounds  to  the  good  sense  of  the  people 
generally  that  the  study  of  social  forms  and  etiquette  is  a  serious  and 
common  one. 

One  of  the  most  famous  books  ever  written  along  these  lines — an 
old  book,  long  out  of  date,  but  one  which  is  still  thumbed  into  tatters 
—was  Lord  Chesterfield’s  “Letters  to  His  Son.”  It  has  been  edited 

435 


436 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


and  condensed  dozens  of  times,  but,  although  the  rules  of  social  con¬ 
duct  there  laid  down  are  practically  for  the  benefit  of  young  gentle¬ 
men,  many  of  them  are  applicable  to  both  sexes,  and  we  shall  have 
occasion  to  refer  to  them  again.  Be  natural,  then,  if  it  is  safe;  if  not, 
read  Lord  Chesterfield  and  other  later  suggestions  (such  as  those 
which  follow)  on  the  prevailing  forms  and  customs  of  good  society. 

Street  Etiquette  for  Women. — Certain  general  rules  can  be  safely 
followed  regarding  proper  conduct  upon  the  street,  both  as  to  dress 
and  deportment,  the  supposition  being  that  neither  the  man  nor  the 
woman  is  about  to  make  a  formal  or  ceremonious  call.  Let  us  sup¬ 
pose  that  the  man  is  attending  to  his  business  duties  and  the  woman 
is  about  to  “go  shopping,”  or  is  going  upon  a  journey. 

First,  as  to  the  woman.  Neither  her  dress  nor  deportment  should 
attract  attention  to  herself  from  being  too  pronounced,  or  “loud.” 
The  materials  may  be  rich,  if  the  woman  is  matronly,  and  light  and 
“flutfy,”  if  she  is  young;  but,  on  the  street,  one  bright  color  is  enough. 

In  choosing  your  dress,  consider  first  what  colors  will  harmonize 
with  your  prevailing  physical  temperament;  and,  second,  what  style 
will  be  most  appropriate  to  your  form.  White  may  be  worn  by  women 
of  all  ages  and  complexions,  though  if  one  is  unusually  pale  some  warm 
color  should  be  worn  near  the  face.  Creamy  tints,  pink,  browns  and 
even  tea-rose  colors  are  often  used  with  good  effect. 

In  a  street  costume  a  neat  fitting  dress  and  cloak  are  the  first 
things  to  be  considered,  and  they  should  be  made  so  as  to  modify  any 
disagreeable  feature.  By  a  neatly  fitting  garment  we  do  not  always 
mean  one  which  fits  closely.  For  instance,  nothing  exaggerates  the 
stoutness  of  a  short,  fleshy  woman  so  much  as  to  wear  a  closely  fitting 
dress  or  cloak,  the  beholder  thus  being  able  to  “take  her  measure”  as 
it  were.  A  loosely  fitting  garment,  with  perpendicular  folds  or  plaits, 
is  best  for  her.  For  the  same  reason  a  tall  thin  woman  should  avoid 
skin-tight  robes;  the  latter,  on  the  other  hand,  should  avoid  perpen¬ 
dicular  stripes  or  folds,  as  they  tend  to  call  attention  to  her  height. 
Small,  thin  women  should  not  wear  too  much  black.  Laces  around 
the  throat  become  them — in  fact,  anything  to  skillfully  conceal  the 
‘  ‘  angles.  ’  ’ 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


437 


If  one  wishes  to  have  her  waist  look  slender  and  graceful  the  belt 
should  be  worn  so  that  it  slips  down  in  front  and  is  pushed  up  behind. 

As  to  hats,  the  stout  woman  makes  a  mistake  by  wearing  a  tall, 
large  hat,  thinking  thereby  to  make  herself  look  imposing.  She 
should  neither  wear  that,  nor  some  pretty  delicate  trifle,  only  fit  to 
frame  a  slight  girlish  face.  On  the  other  hand  the  very  tall  woman 
should  wear  neither  style  of  hat.  Study  the  happy  medium;  although 
it  may  be  laid  down  as  a  general  rule  that  the  moderately  tall,  willowy 
figure  best  becomes  the  large  style  of  hat. 

Both  as  a  matter  of  precaution  and  taste  it  has  become  a  rule  of 
good  society  for  the  woman  to  wear  little  jewelry  upon  the  street — a 
watch  and  brooch  are  sufficient. 

The  style  of  gloves  and  shoes  adapted  for  street  wear  is  largely  a 
matter  of  individual  taste,  but  here  again  the  general  rule  of  modesty 
and  serviceability  applies.  Upon  no  account,  however,  squeeze  either 
your  hand  or  your  foot  into  a  glove  or  shoes  too  small  for  you.  If 
you  do  so,  everybody  you  meet  will  know  it  and  you  will  be  not  only 
uncomfortable,  but  ridiculous.  The  days  when  the  doll-like  hand  and 
foot  were  at  a  premium  are  past.  Cinderella  especially  is  at  a  dis¬ 
count. 

As  viewed  in  good  society,  which  is  becoming  more  and  more  to 
mean  the  prevailing  common-sense  of  men  and  women,  the  trailing 
skirt  upon  the  street  is  an  object  of  both  amusement  and  disgust; 
amusement,  because  the  possessor  of  it  often  imagines  she  is  making 
an  impression  on  account  of  her  majestic  and  elegant  appearance, 
and  disgusting,  because  she  is  in  reality  sweeping  up  the  filth  along 
her  route  and  perhaps  spreading  disease  as  she  moves  along.  The 
modern  street  dress  should  always  clear  the  ground. 

If,  in  spite  of  this  precaution,  on  account  of  snows,  rains  and  mud, 
the  gannents  are  liable  to  be  soiled,  there  is  an  awkward  and  there 
is  a  ladylike  way  of  raising  the  skirts.  They  are  not  raised  high  with 
both  hands,  but  with  one  hand  only,  just  above  the  shoe  and  even  all 
around.  There  is  no  one  thing  in  which  the  average  girl  requires 
more  practice  than  in  acquiring  the  knack  of  gracefully  raising  her 


438 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


skirts.  In  this  connection  it  is  a  sensible,  as  well  as  a  modest  practice, 
to  avoid  the  wearing  of  white  skirts  in  rainy,  snowy  or  muddy  weather. 

Eainy-day  etiquette  requires,  if  you  meet  a  gentleman  friend  with 
an  umbrella  (and  you  have  none)  and  he  cannot  accompany  you 
home,  but  insists  that  you  take  his  umbrella,  you  should  return  it  to 
him  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  with  a  note  of  thanks.  It  is  in  poor 
form  to  accept  the  escort  or  the  tender  of  an  umbrella  from  a  stranger. 

A  lady  is  recognized  upon  the  street  by  her  general  composure 
and  grace  of  bearing.  She  neither  dashes  along  as  if  on  a  Avager, 
nor  shuffles  her  feet.  She  does  not  swing  the  arms  nor  allow  any 
undue  motion  of  the  hips.  Her  head  is  up  and  her  parasol  is  held  at 
such  a  height  that  she  can  clearly  see  where  she  is  going.  Her  entire 
bearing  is  one  of  independent  composure,  without  stiffness. 

If  she  meets  an  acquaintance  on  a  crowded  street,  she  does  not 
stop  in  the  middle  of  the  sidewalk  and  obstruct  the  progress  of  all 
pedestrians,  but  draws  her  to  one  side.  Should  it  be  a  gentleman 
and  he  wishes  to  enter  into  conversation,  he  will,  if  possible,  wmlk 
along  in  her  direction. 

In  the  daytime  it  is  not  considered  proper  for  a  lady  to  take  the 
arm  of  a  gentleman,  unless  he  is  her  affianced,  her  husband,  or  near 
relative.  In  the  evening,  or  when  the  streets  are  slippery,  it  seems  to 
be  optional  whether  the  lady  shall  take  the  gentleman’s  arm,  or  allow 
him  to  take  hers. 

If  a  lady  is  with  two  gentlemen  she  should  walk  between  them, 
and  if  they  are  acquaintances  merely  should  endeavor  to  treat  them 
impartially. 

When  a  lady  meets  a  gentleman  it  is  her  part  to  speak  first, 
thereby  intimating  that  she  desires  to  continue  the  acquaintance. 

If  she  wishes  to  show  a  disinclination  to  do  so,  she  may  bow,  but 
show  such  formality  in  her  bearing,  that  her  meaning  will  be  clear. 
By  pursuing  this  course,  instead  of  the  cruel,  unladylike  one  of  look¬ 
ing  the  gentleman  full  in  the  face  and  making  no  sign  of  recognition, 
she  will  sustain  her  reputation  for  courtesy  and  at  the  same  time 
make  her  meaning  clear. 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


439 


It  is  polite  for  the  lady  to  invite  her  escort  to  enter  the  house,  but 
if  he  declines,  she  knows  that  it  is  not  good  breeding  to  urge  him;  if 
the  hour  is  late,  she  will  not  even  invite  him  in. 

Too  much  cannot  be  said  about  the  proper  conduct  of  ladies 
toward  strangers.  If  there  is  an  obvious  intent  on  their  part  to  attract 
your  attention,  or  force  their  attention  upon  you,  there  can  be  but 
one  course  to  follow — coldly  ignore  them.  If  you  show  temper,  or 
indignation,  you  draw  public  attention  to  yourself  and  often  give 
an  unprincipled  man  the  very  chance  he  sought,  to  continue  his  con¬ 
versation  with  you. 

There  are  many  instances,  however,  where  the  acts  are  those  of 
true  courtesy  and  delicate  consideration.  Some  girls  make  the  mis¬ 
take  of  ignoring  such  courtesies  and  thereby  throw  themselves  open 
to  the  charge  of  unladylike  conduct. 

For  instance,  if  a  stranger  offers  you  his  hand  in  alighting  from  a 
car,  or  omnibus,  or  offers  to  assist  you  in  crossing  a  muddy  street, 
there  is  nothing  presumptuous  in  the  act  itself.  A  lady  will  readily 
gauge  the  motive,  by  the  manner  of  offering  assistance,  and  if  she  is 
convinced  that  it  is  purely  an  act  of  courtesy  should  gracefully 
acknowledge  it  as  such.  Of  course  in  large  cities  where  there  are 
policemen  at  the  most  frequented  crossings  to  act  as  official  escorts, 
the  latter  is  now  a  rare  case  to  be  considered. 

Street  car  etiquette  is  much  discussed,  but  the  rule  seems  quite 
well  settled  that  as  it  is  impossible  that  all  ladies  shall  have  seats,  the 
preference  should  be  given  not  to  sex,  but  to  age,  obvious  infirmity  of 
any  kind,  and  women  with  small  children.  In  the  street  cars  the 
man  and  woman  of  average  health  and  strength  are  on  the  same 
plane;  but  if  for  any  cause  a  gentleman  gives  his  seat  to  a  lady,  she 
should  never  accept  it  without  a  bow  or  a  word  of  thanks. 

It  is  not  unusual  for  one  who  would  wish  to  be  considered  a  lady 
to  refuse  a  seat,  with  an  injured  toss  of  her  head  and  a  “Oh,  I  can 
stand!”  especially  if,  for  some  reason,  she  has  been  standing  for 
quite  a  while.  This  certainly  is  not  good  manners. 

Where  two  ladies  are  together  and  only  one  seat  is  vacated,  sev- 


440 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


eral  things  should  determine  who  should  occupy  it.  Age  or  infirmity 
should  again  he  taken  into  consideration,  if  the  ladies  have  simply 
met,  and  the  fact  as  to  whether  they  hold  the  position  toward  each 
other  of  guest  and  hostess.  Common  sense  would  dictate  in  the  latter 
case  that  the  hostess  should  insist  upon  her  guest  taking  the  seat. 

Doubtless  other  points  in  street  etiquette  will  come  before  the 
lady,  as  the  result  of  thought  or  experience;  hut  eventually  they  will 
all  be  decided,  if  rightly  decided,  by  the  rule  of  consideration  for  the 
comfort  and  feelings  of  others. 

Street  Etiquette  for  Men. — There  are  certain  rules  of  street  eti¬ 
quette  which  the  true  gentleman  instinctively  follows,  but  which  can¬ 
not  be  too  often  repeated. 

The  true  gentleman  never  stares  at  passers-by,  or,  if  he  is  with  an 
acquaintance,  makes  remarks  about  them  in  an  audible  tone  of  voice. 

If  he  meets  a  couple  walking  together,  the  lady  only  being  an 
acquaintance,  he  does  not  detain  them,  or  even  join  them,  unless 
invited  to  do  so  by  the  lady;  he  simply  bows  and  passes  on. 

The  gentleman,  when  walking  with  the  lady,  always  requests  to 
carry  any  parcels  which  she  may  have,  especially  if  it  is  raining  or 
snowing.  He  holds  the  umbrella  over  her  and  otherwise  makes  it 
easy  for  her  to  protect  her  garments. 

It  is  no  longer  considered  a  binding  rule  that  the  gentleman 
should  take  the  outside  of  the  walk.  In  fact,  in  crowded  thorough¬ 
fares,  where  there  are  many  turnings,  it  is  often  quite  ridiculous  to 
see  an  escort  continually  dodging  behind  the  lady,  now  to  this  side 
and  now  to  that,  in  order  to  conform  to  this  old  rule.  The  custom 
originated  in  the  idea  that  in  case  of  danger  it  would  be  easier  to 
protect  the  lady  with  the  right  arm  free. 

When  accompanying  a  lady  on  the  street,  while  he  should  be 
attentive  to  outside  matters  which  will  insure  her  comfort  and  safety, 
he  should  not  be  continually  gazing  at  others  and  withdrawing  the 
bulk  of  his  attention  from  her.  In  this  regard  street  etiquette  is  the 
same  as  ball-room  etiquette. 

Concerning  the  street  attire  of  the  gentleman,  it  depends,  as  in 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


441 


the  case  of  the  lady,  upon  the  occupation  and  special  errand.  The 
business  man  does  not  dress  as  the  physician,  whose  time  is  largely 
spent  with  the  family,  nor  does  the  physician,  as  a  rule,  attire  himself 
like  the  lawyer.  The  business  man  upon  the  street  seldom  wears 
gloves  in  mild  weather  unless  he  is  about  to  make  a  formal  call.  As 
a  rule  he  is  attired  in  a  single  or  double-breasted  sack,  or  three- 
button  cutaway,  with  striped  or  checked  trousers  to  match,  or  some¬ 
what  lighter.  He  wears  a  derby  or  fedora;  colored  or  white  shirt; 
standing,  or  high  turn-down  collar,  with  a  neutral  colored  tie;  jewelry 
largely  a  matter  of  taste  and  financial  condition. 

An  invariable  custom  in  good  society,  which  is  of  comparatively 
recent  origin,  is  for  the  gentleman  to  bow,  whether  he  is  with  a  lady 
and  meets  one  of  her  acquaintances,  or  is  with  another  gentleman  and 
meets  a  lady  with  whom  his  friend  only  is  acquainted. 


VISITING  ETIQUETTE 

The  suggestions  here  made  are  for  the  benefit  of  the  visitor,  not 
the  hostess — the  latter  portion  of  the  subject  will  be  considered  under 
the  head  of  the  Art  of  Receiving  and  Entertaining.  For  the  proper 
conduct  of  the  visitor,  the  same  general  rules  apply  to  both  lady  and 
gentleman.  Supposing  that  tlioy  have  stood  the  test  of  the  rules 
applying  to  street  etiquette,  a  short  call,  or  a  visit  is  now  in  order. 

Etiquette  for  Short  Visit,  or  a  Call. — Morning  calls  may  be  made 
at  any  time  between  noon  and  six  o’clock  P.  M.,  although  in  small 
places  and  with  people  of  moderate  circumstances,  it  is  looked  upon 
as  more  convenient  for  the  hostess  to  receive  callers  between  two  and 
five  in  the  afternoon.  By  conforming  to  these  hours  neither  the  noon¬ 
day  nor  evening  meal  will  be  interfered  with. 

If  it  is  a  formal  visit  of  any  kind,  it  should  not  exceed  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes  in  length.  It  is  customary  to  make  such  visits  to  one 
who  has  recently  moved  to  another  town,  or  into  a  new  neighbor¬ 
hood,  and  is  a  thoughtful  act  of  courtesy  which  is  usually  heartily 
appreciated  by  the  stranger. 


442 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


The  effect  of  the  call,  however,  will  be  entirely  spoiled  if  the 
visitor  shows  a  disposition  to  pry  into  the  affairs  of  the  newcomer,  or 
appears  to  be  taking  an  inventory  of  the  furniture  and  other  house¬ 
hold  effects.  To  walk  around  the  rooms  examining  pictures  or  other 
ornaments,  uninvited,  or  to  turn  over  and  examine  visiting  cards,  or 
do  anything  else  which  shows  bald  curiosity,  or  a  forwardness  not 
warranted  by  intimacy,  are  acts  which  are  indelicate,  not  to  say  rude. 
Conduct  which  is  allowable  with  close  friends  may  be  very  impolite 
with  comparative  strangers.  Wait  for  your  new-found  acquaintance 
to  make  all  the  advances  toward  a  closer  intimacy.  This  is  not  only 
the  safe  way,  but  the  polite  way. 

A  gracious  leave-taking,  after  making  a  formal  call,  or  a  visit  of 
any  kind,  is  an  art  in  itself.  If  you  are  a  comparative  stranger,  when 
“your  time  is  up,”  you  are  to  politely  withstand  any  courteous  pres¬ 
sure  to  remain  longer,  and  withdraw  promptly,  but  not  abruptly. 

If  you  are  visiting  a  friend,  perhaps  an  intimate  one,  when  you  are 
ready  to  go  do  not  think  of  “something  else  to  say,”  or  if  you  do, 
defer  the  saying  of  it  to  another  time.  There  are  few  things  so 
embarrassing  even  between  warm  friends,  if  the  truth  be  plainly 
spoken,  as  to  receive  a  visit  from  one  who  never  knows  how  or  when 
to  go. 

Evening  calls  should  usually  be  made  between  the  hours  of  eight 
and  nine,  and  the  visit  should  not  extend  beyond  ten  o’clock,  unless 
the  caller  is  especially  intimate. 

Sunday  calls,  in  the  afternoon  and  evening,  are  becoming  quite 
common,  especially  in  the  large  cities,  where  friends  and  relatives 
often  live  at  a  great  distance  from  each  other.  Care  should  be  taken, 
in  making  such  visits,  that  neither  head  of  the  family  objects  to  them 
on  religious  grounds;  and  do  not  make  them  unannounced,  since  you 
may  thereby  be  interfering  with  plans  which  your  friends  have  already 
made. 

Do  not  feel  offended,  if  the  subject  of  your  call  is  “not  at  home,” 
or  “engaged”;  for  there  may  be  a  very  good  reason,  not  at  all  per¬ 
sonal  so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  why  she  cannot  see  you.  If  you 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


443 


repeatedly  call,  meet  with  the  same  reception  and  do  not  receive  a 
note  of  regret,  then  you  may  decide  that  the  acquaintanceship  has 
been  intentionally  broken. 

No  rules  can  be  laid  down  as  to  the  style  of  conversation  to  be 
introduced  in  making  a  call,  or  short  visit.  It  is  a  good  practice, 
however,  to  avoid  heavy  subjects  and  discussions.  Touch  lightly 
upon  a  variety  of  subjects  and  do  not  expand  upon  any  one,  unless 
those  whom  you  are  visiting  show  a  desire  for  the  details;  above  all, 
don’t  “talk  shop,”  for  if  you  do,  you  are  sure  to  enter  into  the  most 
tiresome  of  details.  It  is  better  to  keep  silent,  even  at  the  risk  of 
being  thought  stupid,  than  to  do  that. 

Should  callers  appear  while  you  are  present  and  you  cannot  extend 
your  visit  longer,  do  not  leave  abruptly  as  if  you  did  not  wish  to 
meet  them.  At  least  exchange  a  few  pleasant  words  with  them  and 
give  a  reason  for  your  departure. 

If  your  call  is  either  one  of  congratulation  or  condolence  do  not 
delay  it  more  than  a  week  after  the  event  which  prompts  the  visit; 
if  it  is  one  of  condolence  and  you  are  not  on  intimate  terms  with  the 
afflicted,  it  is  sufficient  to  leave  a  card  with  offers  of  assistance. 

There  are  few  whose  heart  will  not  dictate  the  proper  course  to 
be  pursued  in  a  visit  of  condolence  to  a  friend. 

The  Use  of  Cards  in  visiting  is  a  subject  about  which  so  much  has 
been  written  that  the  average  mind  has  been  thrown  into  a  bad  state 
of  confusion  as  to  the  latest  rules  of  good  society  regarding  it.  As 
to  the  forms  of  visiting  cards: 

1.  The  husband’s  name  usually  appears  upon  the  card  of  a  mar¬ 
ried  woman;  but  it  is  bad  taste  to  use  the  professional  title — as  Mrs. 
Dr.  Jones. 

2.  Widows  use  their  maiden  names. 

3.  The  eldest  daughter  of  a  family  uses  only  the  last  name — as 
Miss  Jones. 

4.  Younger  daughters  use  their  first  names — as  Miss  Alice  Jones. 

5.  During  the  first  year  of  married  life  a  joint  card  is  often  used. 


444 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


6.  Young  ladies  who  have  just  “come  out!”  in  society  have  their 
names  on  their  mother’s  visiting  card. 

7.  A  motherless  young  lady  may  have  her  name  on  her  father’s 
personal  visiting  card. 

8.  The  residence  address  is  allowable  upon  the  card. 

9.  Gentlemen  and  ladies  may  use  medical  titles,  and  the  former, 
military,  naval  or  judicial. 

One  should  never  start  to  make  calls  without  a  supply  of  visiting 
cards;  since  if  the  lady  is  not  really  at  home  the  leaving  of  a  card  is 
the  only  sure  way  of  showing  her  that  you  have  called,  and,  if  she 
has  a  special  day  for  receiving  and  a  number  visit  her,  without  the 
cards  to  remind  her,  she  may  forget  just  who  have  paid  their 
respects. 

When  about  to  leave  on  a  protracted  visit  send  cards  to  your 
friends  marked  P.  P.  C.  in  the  left  hand  corner.  By  using  the  initials 
of  the  French  phrase,  pour  prendre  conge,  you  thus  take  leave  of 
them.  Also  when  you  return,  send  your  visiting  cards,  to  imply  that 
you  wish  to  continue  the  acquaintance.  When  changing  your  resi¬ 
dence  also  send  out  cards  giving  your  new  address. 

A  card  stands  for  the  person,  and  sending  a  card  with  an  invita¬ 
tion  to  an  entertainment  is  equivalent  to  an  invitation  in  person.  A 
card  should  be  sent  in  return  and  if  the  person  cannot  attend  the  en¬ 
tertainment  she  should  still  consider  that  she  “owes  a  call”  to  the 
person  who  invited  her.  In  case  the  invitation  is  to  an  afternoon  tea, 
however,  this  call  is  not  due. 

It  is  customary  now  to  send  cards  of  congratulation  to  the  parents 
of  engaged  couples,  if  the  parents  have  formally  announced  the  be¬ 
trothal.  Birth  cards  are  also  sent  to  friends,  as  soon  as  the  new  ar¬ 
rival  has  received  a  name. 

The  following  instructions  as  to  the  leaving  of  cards  may  save 
confusion  and  perplexity:  A  gentleman  leaves  cards  for  host  and 
hostess  and  a  lady  for  the  ladies  of  the  house.  If  there  are  sons  in 
the  family,  the  visiting  lady  may  leave  her  husband’s  card  for  them. 
If  no  one  is  at  home,  the  lady  leaves  her  card  and  the  gentleman  two. 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


445 


Young  gentlemen  leave  cards  for  all  the  ladies  of  the  household, 
as  well  as  for  the  mother,  or  chaperon. 

First  calls  should  always  be  returned  in  person,  if  the  health  will 
permit.  To  return  one  of  these  by  the  sending  of  a  card  is  not  con¬ 
sidered  polite. 

Cards  sent  by  messenger  are  placed  in  a  single  envelope,  unsealed. 
If  sent  by  mail  the  unsealed  envelope  is  enclosed  in  the  sealed. 

In  the  matter  of  sending  cards  by  messenger  or  mail,  it  is  cus¬ 
tomary  “to  do  as  you  are  done  by.” 


HOME  ETIQUETTE 

Home  manners  are  the  final  test  of  the  true  lady  or  gentleman. 
At  home,  where  everybody  is  apt  to  feel  unrestrained,  there  should, 
nevertheless,  be  the  restraint  which  true  politeness  places  upon  con¬ 
duct  calculated  to  touch  the  sensibility  of  any  member  of  the  family. 
It  is  here,  too,  when  the  individual  is  not  upon  parade,  that  he  shows 
his  true  colors;  here  you  may  learn  whether  the  customary  politeness 
of  the  young  lady  or  gentleman  springs  from  a  really  good  heart,  or 
whether  it  is  assumed  as  a  shield  to  a  really  hard  and  coarse  nature. 
It  is  the  home  that  cultivates  future  happiness  or  misery  in  those 
who  are  to  be  the  husbands  and  wives  of  the  coming  years.  It  is  here 
that  the  individual  either  allows  himself  to  criticise  and  to  “nag”  be¬ 
cause  of  necessary  personal  peculiarities,  or  to  learn  the  secret  of 
compromise,  of  self-sacrifice  in  the  interest  of  family  peace  and  of 
charity  for  those  who  are  bound  to  him  by  the  sacred  ties  of  blood  and 
close  association. 

There  is  not  a  family  living,  the  members  of  which  have  not  indi¬ 
vidual  peculiarities — dislikes,  it  may  be,  some  of  which  are  reasonable 
and  some  simply  neither  to  be  explained  nor  argued  away.  The  nerves 
of  one  may  be  put  on  edge  by  the  biting  of  worsted.  Another  may 
dislike  the  crunching  of  hard  toast  or  an  apple.  To  some  cats  may 
be  worse  than  snakes.  Such  physical  dislikes  as  these  are  inborn,  and 
home  etiquette  demands  that  when  they  are  pronounced,  each  mem- 


446 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


ber  of  the  family,  instead  of  laughing  at  them,  should  courteously  en¬ 
deavor  to  avoid  giving  pain. 

Respect  of  children  toward  their  elders  and  the  courteous  treat¬ 
ment  of  children  by  their  elders  cannot  be  too  often  enjoined. 

It  is  both  impolite  and  cowardly  to  gossip,  or  speak  evil  of  any 
one  in  the  privacy  of  the  family  circle.  This  rule  applies  to  old  and 
young  alike. 

There  is  an  etiquette  which  husband  and  wife  owe  to  each  other 
in  the  government  of  their  children.  First,  as  they  naturally  instruct 
their  children  to  avoid  quarrels,  they  should  never  dispute  with  each 
other  before  the  younger  members  of  the  family. 

If  either  has  given  positive  instruction  to  a  child,  and  the  other 
does  not  approve  of  it,  there  should  be  no  argument  before  the  family. 
Such  differences  of  opinion  should  be  settled  in  strict  privacy.  That 
is  not  only  true  marital  courtesy,  but  it  is  better  for  the  child. 

Neither  husband  nor  wife  should  expect  cleanliness,  or  pleasing 
manners  in  their  children,  if  they  do  not  personally  set  them  the 
proper  example. 

Promptness  at  meal  hours  is  not  only  an  act  of  consideration  for 
those  who  cook  the  meals  and  do  the  household  work,  but  it  is  a  very 
important  part  of  the  code  of  home  etiquette. 

Table  Etiquette  should  be  as  closely  observed  at  home  as  at  a  state 
dinner.  Throwing  aside  all  consideration  of  the  duty  you  owe  those 
with  whom  you  are  in  such  close  contact,  it  is  by  far  the  safest  policy 
to  be  polite  at  the  family  table;  for  if  you  daily  forget  your  manners 
there,  you  are  apt  to  overlook  them  in  public. 

If  you  are  at  the  head  of  the  table,  it  is  a  waste  of  words  to  be 
informed  in  detail  as  to  how  you  are  to  as  carefully  note  the  wants 
of  members  of  the  family  as  you  would  when  guests  are  to  be  served. 

The  advice  to  keep  the  mouth  closed  when  eating  may  also  be 
superfluous. 

It  may  be  well  to  state,  however,  that  several  former  rules  of  table 
etiquette  have  undergone  a  change.  In  former  years  it  was  a  breach 
of  table  etiquette  to  take  the  last  of  anything;  now  it  is  considered 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


447 


discourteous  to  refuse.  As  soon  as  you  are  helped,  it  is  now  consid¬ 
ered  good  manners  to  at  least  commence  to  prepare  your  food;  other¬ 
wise,  if  you  wait  until  everybody  is  served,  especially  if  there  be  a 
large  number  at  the  table,  your  food  may  become  cold,  which  is  a 
cause  of  disquietude  to  the  lady  of  the  house,  whether  she  be  your 
mother  or  hostess. 

It  is  as  much  a  violation  of  table  etiquette  for  the  server  to  over¬ 
load  the  plate  as  to  go  to  the  other  extreme.  To  overload,  is  to  imply 
that  you  wish  to  avoid  the  trouble  of  serving  again,  or  that  the  person 
you  serve  is  a  gormand.  Particularly  as  it  spoils  the  appetite  of  some 
to  have  their  plates  piled  with  food,  this  fault  should  be  carefully 
avoided. 

The  server  should  remember  the  taste  and  even  peculiarities  of 
different  members  of  the  family,  as  to  the  preparation  of  food.  This 
is  particularly  necessaiy  in  regard  to  gravies  and  sauces.  Nearly 
everyone  has  also  a  choice  as  to  certain  portions  of  the  meats.  This 
“remembering”  is  part  of  the  delicate  consideration  and  the  regard 
for  trifles  which  make  up  domestic  life  and  which  are  at  the  basis  of 
home  etiquette. 

Tea,  coffee  and  chocolate  are  no  longer  drunk  from  saucers  and 
no  well-bred  person  eats  with  the  knife. 

A  slice  of  bread  should  be  broken  before  being  buttered,  and 
eaten  in  pieces. 

Never  put  bones  or  fruit  stones  on  the  table  cloth,  but  place  them 
carefully  on  the  sides  of  your  dishes. 

In  removing  bones  or  pits  from  your  mouth  do  not  use  your 
fingers,  but  your  fork  or  spoon. 

It  is  a  vital  part  of  table  etiquette  at  home  and  elsewhere  to  avoid 
disquieting  conversation,  or  anything  which  will  suggest  unpleasant 
pictures.  Quarreling,  bickering,  stories  of  murders  and  suicides,  and 
disgusting  details  of  any  kind,  should  be  as  studiously  avoided  at  the 
home  table  as  in  the  most  general  society. 


448 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


FULL  DRESS  AND  PARTY  ETIQUETTE 

The  occasions  when  full  dress  is  appropriate  are  at  balls,  or 
formal  parties,  at  operas  and  at  evening  weddings.  It  would  be  futile 
to  attempt  to  give  various  styles  of  what  are  known  as  full  dress.  As 
the  occasions  arise,  when  it  is  proper  to  be  thus  attired,  the  lady  will 
naturally  seek  a  dressmaker  whose  business  it  is  to  select  the  ap¬ 
propriate  and  becoming  costume. 

The  young  gentleman’s  evening,  or  full  dress,  consists  of  black 
trousers,  dress  or  swallow-tailed  coat;  a  low-cut  black  or  white  vest; 
opera  or  high  silk  hat;  white  shirt,  cuffs,  pearl  studs  and  links,  and 
tie;  pearl  or  white  gloves;  lap-front  or  standing  collar;  patent  leather 
shoes  or  pumps.  For  day  weddings,  afternoon  calls,  matinees,  teas, 
etc.,  his  coat  may  be  double-breasted,  trousers  striped  and  of  a  sub¬ 
dued  shade,  lighter  than  the  coat,  and  his  tie  colored. 

In  the  matter  of  dress  for  young  gentlemen  and  ladies  the  nature 
of  the  occasion  should  always  be  kept  in  mind,  as  it  is  considered  very 
bad  taste  to  appear  in  an  elaborate  costume  at  an  informal  gathering. 
In  these  days  it  will  be  hardly  necessary  to  warn  the  young  men 
against  painting  and  powdering,  as  did  Lord  Chesterfield  in  his  book 
of  etiquette,  to  which  we  have  already  referred. 

Except  that  you  should  be  more  reserved  in  your  manners,  party 
etiquette  should  be  no  different  from  home  etiquette.  At  formal  gath¬ 
erings  Lord  Chesterfield’s  advice  to  young  gentlemen  should  be  fol¬ 
lowed  by  both  sexes.  “The  general  rule  is,”  he  says,  “to  have  a  real 
reserve  with  almost  everyone  and  a  seeming  reserve  with  almost  no 
one;  for  it  is  very  disagreeable  to  seem  reserved  and  very  dangerous 
not  to  be  so.”  The  same  old  but  good  authority  upon  social  etiquette 
also  observes  that  “modesty  is  a  polite  accomplishment  and  generally 
is  an  attendant  upon  merit;  modesty,  however,  widely  differs  from  an 
awkward  bashfulness.  ’  ’ 

Here,  then,  is  the  secret  of  good  “party  manners”  in  a  nutshell: 
Be  self-contained  without  being  disagreeably  reserved;  be  modest, 
without  being  awkwardly  and  painfully  bashful. 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


449 


When  you  have  arrived  at  your  destination,  before  remaining  to 
carry  on  any  conversation  with  your  friends  proceed  to  the  dressing- 
room.  Your  escort  will  accompany  you  to  the  door,  will  go  to  the 
gentleman’s  dressing-room  and,  having  there  left  his  own  hat  and 
overcoat,  will  return  to  rejoin  you. 

If  you  have  no  escort  you  may  call  upon  the  master  of  the  house 
to  accompany  you  to  the  hostess,  whom  you  must  speak  to  before 
you  join  the  guests. 

If  you  have  an  escort  who  is  a  stranger  to  the  hostess,  introduce 
him  to  her,  after  which  it  is  her  part  to  see  that  he  becomes  acquainted 
with  any  other  guests  whom  he  does  not  know. 

If  you  are  alone  and  meet  a  friend  in  the  dressing-room  who  has 
an  escort  you  may  enter  the  parlor  with  them  to  pay  your  compli¬ 
ments  to  the  hostess;  or  two  ladies  who  are  without  escorts  may  enter 
together. 

A  gentleman  who  escorts  a  lady  to  a  party  is  under  particular 
obligations  to  introduce  her  to  strangers,  escort  her  to  the  supper 
table,  see  that  her  dancing  program  is  filled  and  attend  to  all  her 
wants.  While  not  monopolizing  her  entire  time,  he  should  keep  her 
always  in  mind  and  look  to  her  comfort  and  pleasure.  On  the  other 
hand  the  lady  is  under  obligations  never  to  accept  the  services  of 
another  gentleman  to  do  those  things  which  her  escort  is,  by  all  the 
rules  of  etiquette,  required  to  do. 

Never  refuse  an  introduction  to  a  guest  or  to  dance  with  one,  as 
you  thereby  may  justly  offend  the  hostess.  If  you  have  any  good 
reason  for  not  wishing  to  form  or  to  continue  an  acquaintance,  you 
may  regulate  your  conduct  accordingly  at  some  future  time. 

A  true  lady  will  not  only  avoid  familiarities  toward  gentlemen, 
but  ladies  themselves  should  avoid  it  in  their  conduct  toward  each 
other.  Such  exhibitions  are  invariably  looked  upon  as  affected,  since 
it  is  beyond  reason  that,  in  public,  caresses  and  other  outward  signs 
of  affection  should  spring  really  from  the  heart. 

Avoid  crossing  the  room  alone,  or  in  a  hurry,  as  if  you  had  lost 
your  self-possession. 

29— L  S 


450 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


If  you  are  obliged  to  leave  before  the  usual  hour  of  departure,  do 
so  as  quietly  and  privately  as  possible.  Explain  the  circumstances  to 
your  hostess;  that  is  sufficient.  Do  not  take  a  formal  departure,  or 
you  may  induce  others  to  think  it  is  time  to  go  also. 

Your  escort  has  always  the  right  to  the  first  dance. 

If  you  are  so  unfortunate  as  to  get  your  dancing  number  “mixed,” 
decline  to  dance  that  number  altogether,  thereby  avoiding  all  show 
of  partiality. 

Do  not  dance  unless  you  are  perfectly  familiar  with  the  number, 
trusting  to  your  partner  to  carry  you  through. 

There  is  no  talent  which  the  man  or  woman  who  wishes  to  be 
polite  should  more  earnestly  cultivate  than  that  of  remembering 
names.  It  is  often  a  natural  talent,  but  may  be  cultivated  and  ac¬ 
quired.  At  all  events,  it  is  always  considered  a  personal  compliment 
to  have  a  new  acquaintance  remember  your  name  and  address  you  by 
it,  and  is  an  accomplishment  which  one  must  possess  if  he  wishes  to 
be  popular  in  society. 

It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  the  man  or  woman  of  today  need 
be  told  that  it  is  impolite  to  sit  with  the  back  to  another  person,  with¬ 
out  asking  to  be  excused;  to  yawn,  to  talk  loudly  or  to  whisper  con¬ 
fidentially;  to  point  at  anybody;  to  dispute  over  anything;  to  put  cake 
in  the  pocket  or  to  appear  with  dirty  hands  and  finger  nails.  Yet 
many  modern  books  of  etiquette  are  largely  devoted  to  those  matters 
which  ought  to  be  decided  by  common  sense  if  one  has  not  already 
seen  them  repeatedly  in  print. 


CHRISTENING,  WEDDING  AND  FUNERAL  ETIQUETTE 

In  the  life  of  the  average  individual,  these  are  the  three  most  im¬ 
portant  events — his  birth,  wedding  and  death.  Society  has  therefore 
devised  certain  forms  for  their  proper  observance.  The  pretty  cus¬ 
toms  by  which  the  attention  of  friends  is  called  to  the  birth  and  chris¬ 
tening  of  children  are  of  somewhat  late  origin. 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


451 


Baby  Etiquette. — In  many  families  it  is  customary  to  introduce 
the  baby  to  society  as  soon  after  its  birth  as  the  cards  can  be  mailed. 
The  card  is  to  this  effect:  “Florence  J.  Brown,  born  March  12,  1903, 
at  1  A.  M.  At  home,  128  Gladys  Avenue.”  The  announcement  card 
is  usually  tied  with  white  ribbons. 

When  the  card  has  been  received  female  friends  send  notes  of 
congratulation  and  inquiry  to  the  mother,  and  the  gentlemen  pay 
their  respects  to  the  father.  No  one  should  call  until  assurances  have 
been  given  that  the  mother  is  in  condition  to  receive  visitors. 

After  a  few  weeks,  the  time  depending  on  the  health  of  child  and 
mother,  and  some  near  relatives  having  accepted  the  office  of  god¬ 
parents,  preparations  are  made  for  the  christening.  When  the  cere¬ 
monies  are  to  be  at  home,  the  house  is  adorned  with  flowers  and  the 
baptismal  font  is  placed  in  the  front  parlor.  The  parents  are  stationed 
beside  it,  with  the  godparents,  or  sponsors,  on  either  side  of  the  father 
and  mother.  The  infant  is  brought  into  the  room,  a  hymn  is  sung, 
and  after  the  baptism  and  christening,  other  music  and  the  benedic¬ 
tion  follow.  If  the  health  of  the  mother  will  permit,  a  reception  often 
closes  the  joyous  occasion — joyous,  often,  for  everybody  but  the  baby, 
who  has  not  yet  learned  the  rules  of  self-restraining  etiquette. 

The  christening  card  of  invitation  is  sent  out  in  the  names  of  the 
parents,  mentioning  the  time  and  place  where  the  ceremony  is  to 
occur  and  the  hours  of  reception,  if  one  is  to  be  given. 

When  the  christening  is  at  the  church  the  baby  is  carried  to  the 
font  by  an  elderly  lady,  or  nurse,  the  sponsors  follow  and  the  parents 
come  last.  The  godfather  stands  at  the  right  of  the  infant  and  the 
godmother  at  the  left.  After  the  ceremony  the  friends  disperse  at 
the  door  of  the  church,  or,  if  the  condition  of  the  mother  will  pennit, 
are  invited  to  the  house  for  a  luncheon. 

Wedding  Etiquette. — It  is  becoming  more  and  more  customary  to 
make  formal  announcement  of  the  betrothal  of  a  couple.  This  is  some¬ 
times  done  by  the  mother  of  the  future  bride,  who  sends  out  cards  to 
intimate  friends,  or  by  sending  the  announcement  to  some  newspaper. 
In  olden  times  the  bans  were  published  through  the  church. 


452 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


After  the  announcement  of  the  engagement  has  been  made,  it  is 
considered  proper  for  the  young  lady,  at  least  for  a  short  time  before 
her  marriage,  to  partially  withdraw  from  society — that  is,  she  does 
not  make  ceremonious  calls,  or  attend  formal  entertainments.  It  is 
supposed,  however,  that  she  will  send  cards  to  those  to  whom  calls 
are  due,  although  she  is  not  debarred  from  visiting  intimate  friends. 

This  is  both  an  agreeable  and  sensible  custom  for  many  reasons, 
chief  of  which  are  that  it  enables  the  young  lady  to  withdraw  herself 
from  curious  eyes  without  remark,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  give  the 
necessary  attention  to  her  wedding  outfit  and  other  arrangements. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  give  the  stereotype  forms  of  the  modern 
wedding  announcement,  they  vary  so  little,  and  any  stationer  has 
them  in  stock.  The  parents  or  guardians  of  the  young  lady  make  the 
announcement  and  extend  the  invitation,  and  if  the  permanent  ad¬ 
dress  of  the  bride  has  been  decided  upon  it  is  well  to  include  it  with 
the  wedding  invitations. 

Bridal  costumes  are,  of  course,  as  varied  as  the  brides  themselves. 
As  to  the  arrangements  appropriate  to  a  home  wedding,  it  should  be 
stated  that  the  floral  decorations  should  be  simple  and  tasteful,  rather 
than  elaborate.  A  pretty  custom  is  to  select  some  such  flower  as  the 
lily,  or  rose,  and  let  it  give  the  prevailing  tone  or  color  to  the  designs 
and  decorations. 

The  most  striking  features  of  the  floral  display  should,  of  course, 
be  made  in  the  quarter  of  the  room  where  the  ceremony  is  to  occur, 
and,  if  desired,  the  way  thither  may  be  marked  by  white  ribbons  held 
along  either  side  by  little  girls. 

All  being  arranged  the  clergyman  enters  the  rojm  and  stands 
facing  the  people.  To  the  music  of  a  wedding  march  the  bridal  couple 
follow  and  face  him,  with  the  father,  or  some  near  male  relative,  in 
sight  of  the  clergyman,  to  give  away  the  bride.  If  there  are  brides¬ 
maids  and  groomsmen,  the  former,  of  course,  stand  beside  the  bride 
and  the  latter  beside  the  groom. 

If  the  wedding  is  at  the  church  everything  is  more  elaborate  and 
formal.  Next  to  the  chief  parties  concerned,  perhaps  the  head  usher 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


453 


and  “the  best  man”  are  the  most  important  personages.  The  former 
is  the  head  executive  and  must  see  that  the  near  relatives  are  shown 
to  the  place  reserved  for  them  nearest  the  bridal  couple;  that  the 
other  ushers  are  attentive  to  their  duties  and  that  the  organist  strikes 
up  the  wedding  march  at  the  proper  time.  The  proper  form  for  the 
usher  is  to  present  his  right  arm  to  the  lady,  her  gentleman  escort  fol¬ 
lowing. 

The  best  man  has  particular  care  of  the  bridegroom,  who,  sad  to 
relate,  is  more  apt  to  be  flustered  and  make  blunders  than  the  bride. 
He  drives  to  the  church  with  the  future  husband,  is  by  his  side  at  the 
altar  as  the  bride  approaches,  sees  that  he  safely  places  the  ring  upon 
the  lady’s  finger  and  otherwise  proves  his  “best  man.” 

The  number  of  ushers,  bridesmaids  and  groomsmen  is  a  matter  of 
individual  preference,  about  the  only  set  rule  as  to  selection  being 
that  the  bridesmaids  must  be  younger  than  the  bride. 

Should  there  be  a  reception  after  the  wedding,  it  usually  takes 
place  at  the  home  of  the  bride’s  mother,  who  has  previously  sent  out 
invitations.  If  there  is  no  reception  at  that  time,  the  bride  and  groom 
send  out  a  joint  “at  home”  card. 

In  former  years  unless  the  newly  wedded  couple  took  a  bridal 
tour  they  were  considered  hardly  fit  for  good  society.  Of  late  years, 
however,  even  among  persons  of  wealth,  this  custom  has  been  largely 
ignored;  in  fact,  it  is  now  considered  “quite  the  thing”  to  pass  the 
honeymoon  in  one’s  own  house  and,  after  a  time,  to  send  out  “at 
home”  cards  to  acquaintances  and  friends. 

Funeral  Etiquette. — However  self-possesed,  it  is  not  considered 
proper  for  one  who  is  most  intimately  connected  with  the  deceased 
to  take  charge  of  the  funeral  arrangements.  They  should  be  super¬ 
vised  by  a  near  friend,  or  relative,  both  of  the  deceased  and  the  per¬ 
sons  most  naturally  concerned,  who  will  be  assisted,  and  if  in  doubt, 
as  to  his  duties,  directed  by  an  intelligent  undertaker. 

All  members  of  the  stricken  family  should  be  relieved  of  duties 
necessarily  painful,  or  which  will  bring  them  into  public  notice. 

It  is  customary  in  some  sections  of  the  country  and  by  certain 


454 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


classes  of  people,  especially  when  the  deceased  is  widely  known,  to 
send  formal  invitations  to  the  funeral  that  the  house  where  the  serv¬ 
ices  are  to  occur  may  not  be  overcrowded. 

Where  such  invitations  are  sent  the  one  who  superintends  the 
funeral  arrangements  is  furnished  with  a  list  of  the  names  and  is 
careful  to  engage  a  sufficient  number  of  carriages  to  accommodate 
all  thus  invited. 

The  nature  of  the  services  at  the  house  is  determined  solely  by 
the  wishes  of  the  near  relatives,  and  nothing  can  be  imagined  more 
cruel  or  impolite  than  to  either  criticise  them,  or  the  lack  of  them. 

Where  the  burial  is  to  he  in  another  city,  it  is  entirely  proper  to 
have  the  services  conducted  at  the  grave. 

In  the  chamber  of  death,  or  at  the  grave,  the  members  of  the 
family  need  not  recognize  their  acquaintances. 

As  the  coffin  is  borne  from  the  house  to  the  hearse  and  from  the 
hearse  to  the  grave,  all  gentlemen  should  remain  with  uncovered 
heads,  either  until  the  funeral  cortege  is  ready  to  move  or  the  cere¬ 
monies  at  the  grave  are  at  an  end. 


CONVERSATION  AND  SOCIAL  CORRESPONDENCE 

Forget  yourself;  remember  others:  in  these  four  words  lies  the 
secret  of  agreeable  conversation  or  social  correspondence.  The  charm 
of  letter  writing  consists  in  the  ability  to  stamp  your  personality  on 
the  paper,  if  that  personality  is  of  the  tender,  considerate  kind.  But 
before  that  point  is  reached  where  the  charm  of  conversation  and  cor¬ 
respondence  issues  forth  as  subtly  as  the  fragrance  from  flowers,  it 
is  often  necessary  to  pass  through  a  season  of  real  self-discipline. 

On  this  point  again  we  shall  refer  briefly  to  the  advice  of  our  old 
friend.  Lord  Chesterfield:  “He  who  studies  to  conceal  his  own 
deserts,  who  does  justice  to  the  merits  of  others,  who  talks  but  little 
of  himself  and  that  with  modesty,  makes  a  favorable  impression  on 
the  persons  he  is  conversing  with,  captivates  their  minds  and  gains 
^heir  esteem.” 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


455 


To  Be  An  Agreeable  Conversationalist  you  must  be  a  ready  sym¬ 
pathizer.  Without  monopolizing  the  conversation  you  must  do  your 
share  of  the  talking;  but,  above  all  things,  be  a  good  listener,  and 
when  you  perceive  others  talking  about  things  which  you  know  are 
painful  to  any  of  the  company,  aim  in  a  natural  way  to  change  the 
current  of  talk. 

To  be  a  ready  sympathizer  you  must  not  allow  yourself  to  be 
absent-minded.  Even  in  the  home  circle  few  things  are  more  humil¬ 
iating  than  to  find  that  one’s  words  have  fallen  on  deaf  ears;  while 
in  general  company,  one  who  is  inattentive,  or  absent-minded,  is  con¬ 
sidered  very  impolite. 

Habitual  absent-mindedness  in  general  company  is  either  the  mark 
of  a  very  weak  mind,  or  one  which  is  far  above  the  ordinary  affairs 
of  life.  Something  may  be  allowed  to  genius,  but  the  fault  mentioned 
usually  accompanies  an  inferior  or  an  affected  nature. 

Don’t  get  to  be  an  habitual  story-teller,  or  you  will  become  tire¬ 
some.  An  occasional  short  story,  right  to  the  point,  is  an  agreeable 
diversion  from  the  current  of  the  average  small  talk  of  general  so¬ 
ciety;  but  the  person  who  comes  to  believe  that  his  mission  in  the 
world  is  to  spice  every  topic  with  at  least  one  story  becomes  some¬ 
what  tiresome. 

When  a  story  is  told  don’t  interrupt  the  narrator  to  have  him 
explain  it.  Let  him  tell  it  in  his  own  way  to  the  end.  Otherwise  you 
indirectly  criticise  his  performance,  which  is  certainly  neither  con¬ 
siderate  nor  polite. 

Avoid  all  topics  which  may  be  disagreeably  applied  by  those  in 
your  presence,  and,  upon  no  account,  speak  slightingly  of  those  who 
are  absent. 

Don’t  talk  politics,  or  religion,  if  you  see  that  such  subjects  are 
likely  to  create  arguments  which  soon  run  into  contentions. 

Don’t  make  a  positive  statement  such  as  ‘‘This  is  so,”  or  “These 
are  the  facts  in  the  case”;  but  say  “I  believe  this  is  true,”  or  “This  is 
my  opinion.”  People  otherwise  very  thoughtful  get  into  this  habit 


456 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


of  making  positive  statements,  absolutely  unqualified,  so  that  it  is 
virtually  impossible  to  carry  on  a  conversation  with  them. 

Overlook  deficiencies  in  others,  and,  upon  no  account,  parade  the 
knowledge  before  another  which  you  know  he  does  not  possess;  the 
latter  is  a  species  of  cold-blooded  humiliation  imposed  upon  another 
which  is  not  only  the  height  of  impoliteness,  but  of  “refined”  cruelty. 

On  the  other  hand,  do  not  persistently  attempt  to  “draw  out” 
people.  If  one  desires  to  inform  you  as  to  personal  details  in  which 
you  may  be  interested,  or  upon  some  general  subject  about  which  you 
think  he  may  inform  you,  place  the  opportunity  before  him,  but  if  he 
does  not  seem  disposed  to  be  “drawn  out,”  do  not  persist  in  your  at¬ 
tempts.  If  you  do,  it  is  an  implication  that  you  doubt  his  ability  to 
satisfy  you. 

Neither  attempt  to  lionize  a  person,  when  such  a  position  is  mani¬ 
festly  distasteful  to  him,  or  to  make  another  the  butt  of  ridicule,  how¬ 
ever  ridiculous  the  person  or  delicate  your  satire. 

Keep  a  check  upon  your  words.  However  well  you  are  acquainted, 
do  not  speak  of  “the  old  man”  or  “the  old  lady”;  it  is  better  even  to 
not  inquire  for  “your  husband”  or  “your  wife.”  Use  the  titles 
“Mr.”  or  “Mrs.”;  or,  if  the  absent  ones  have  honorable  titles,  “the 
General,”  or  “the  Judge.” 

Impose  a  certain  amount  of  self-restraint  upon  yourself;  but  avoid 
all  mannerisms.  That  is,  do  not  have  one  way  of  talking  to  young 
gentlemen  and  another  of  conversing  with  young  ladies. 

Social  Correspondence. — It  is  taken  for  granted  that  any  person 
who  would  be  interested  in  suggestions  as  to  the  proper  forms  and 
agreeable  features  in  social  correspondence  is  versed  in  the  common 
rules  governing  capital  letters,  punctuation  and  grammar,  and  the 
general  form  of  a  social  letter,  with  the  date  line  toward  the  upper 
right  hand  corner  and  the  salutation  (or  address  of  the  person  to 
whom  you  are  writing)  below  and  to  the  left.  Even  in  the  general 
style,  however,  there  are  variations,  especially  in  the  form  and  place 
of  salutation.  It  is  a  safe  rule  to  follow,  however,  to  place  the  name 
and  city  residence  above  the  address  which  is  less  definite,  if  your 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


457 


correspondent  is  not  an  intimate  friend,  or  you  are  writing  on  business 
matters,  as:  “John  H.  Smith,  Esq.,  Chicago,  Ill.,”  above  “Dear 
Sir.”  Some,  however,  would  place  the  “John  H.  Smith,  Esq.”  at  the 
end  of  the  letter,  below  and  to  the  left  of  the  signature  of  the  writer. 

If  you  are  writing  to  a  comparative  stranger,  or  sending  an  im¬ 
portant  letter  of  any  kind,  it  is  well  to  place  your  name  and  address 
upon  the  envelope,  in  the  left  hand  corner. 

As  to  forms  of  salutations  and  subscriptions,  you  must  ever  keep 
in  mind  your  relation  to  your  correspondent.  If  you  are  writing  to  a 
comparative  stranger,  or  in  a  formal  way,  “Sir”  or  “Madam,”  or 
“Dear  Sir”  or  “Dear  Madam,”  with  “Yours  Respectfully”  or  “Re¬ 
spectfully  Yours”  would  be  the  proper  forms.  Such  superscriptions 
as  “I  am.  Dear  Madam,  Your  Very  Obedient  and  Humble  Servant,” 
etc.,  is  not  considered  a  mark  of  etiquette  in  America.  There  may  be 
occasions,  however,  when  you  are  addressing  foreign  officials  or  dig¬ 
nitaries,  that  it  would  be  considered  bad  breeding  to  fail  to  subscribe 
yourself  in  the  very  formal  and  perhaps  antiquated  manner  to  which 
they  have  been  accustomed. 

As  the  correspondent’s  intimacy  increases,  his  salutations  and 
supersciiptions  decrease  in  formality,  passing  through  all  the  grades 
— “My  Dear  Sir”  or  “My  Dear  Madam,”  and  “Yours  Truly,”  “Sin¬ 
cerely  Yours,”  etc.;  “Dear  Friend,”  “My  Dear  Friend,”  “Dear  Jen¬ 
nie,”  “Dearest  Jennie,”  “My  Own,”  etc.,  with  “Most  Truly  Yours,” 
“Sincerely  Yours,”  “Ever  Yours,”  etc.  It  is  impossible  and  would 
be  a  waste  of  words  to  suggest  the  various  changes  that  may  be  made 
in  both  salutations  and  superscriptions,  until  the  correspondent 
reaches  those  very  intimate  relations  when  all  formality  is  discarded 
and  the  forms  become  matters  of  personal  preference  and  originality. 

In  speaking  of  superscriptions,  never  contract  the  habit  of  always 
signing  yourself  “Hastily  Yours”;  it  is  not  only  affected,  but  usually 
a  very  thinly  veiled  excuse  for  a  slovenly  and  unsatisfactory  letter — 
unsatisfactory  both  to  sender  and  receiver. 

It  is  the  height  of  folly  to  offer  special  directions  to  correspond¬ 
ents  as  to  how  they  should  write  letters  of  love,  of  congratulation,  of 


458 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


condolence,  etc.  In  such  matters  the  writer  must  eventually  fall  back 
upon  his  own  sense  of  propriety,  and  for  him  to  follow  any  set  rules 
would  make  his  communications  stiff  and  unsympathetic  and  at  once 
defeat  the  object  for  which  they  were  sent.  The  best  general  rule  to 
observe,  however,  is — even  in  matters  of  love:  Without  being  abrupt, 
do  not  waste  words,  but  come  bravely  and  courteously  to  the  point. 
If  it  is  a  case  of  misfortune,  or  death,  do  not  attempt  to  lighten  the 
blow  by  suggesting  that  “misfortune  comes  to  us  all,”  etc. 

When  you  are  replying  to  a  letter,  it  is  considered  a  school-boy  or 
school-girl  style  to  take  up  your  friend’s  communication,  piece  by 
piece,  and  comment  upon  it.  If  any  information  is  asked  you  should 
give  what  you  consider  the  most  important  points,  at  once,  and  en¬ 
deavor  in  every  way  to  treat  your  correspondent  by  letter  as  if  you 
were  replying  to  her  in  person. 

Never  deal  in  profuse  apologies  about  pen,  paper,  ink,  delays  in 
replying,  etc.  A  simple,  direct  excuse,  when  you  really  feel  that  you 
have  delayed  your  reply  beyond  the  bounds  of  courtesy,  is  due  from 
you,  and  will  be,  as  a  rule,  well  received;  but  when  you  go  beyond 
that,  it  may  seem  that  you  are  guilty  of  a  greater  offense  than  you 
really  are. 

Official  Forms  of  Address. — It  usually  happens  that  several  times 
in  the  course  of  his  life  the  average  man  or  woman,  who  has  not  been 
thrown  into  the  society  of  high  officials,  will  desire  to  dispatch  a  com¬ 
munication  to  persons  of  rank,  but  is  in  doubt  about  how  they  should 
be  addressed.  For  the  benefit  of  such  we  give  a  list  of  some  of  the 
most  impotrant. 

The  president  of  the  United  States  is  addressed  as  “His  Excel¬ 
lency  the  President  of  the  United  States.” 

The  address  Honorable  (Hon.)  should  be  applied  to  ex-presidents, 
vice-presidents  and  members  of  the  United  States  Senate  and  House 
of  Eepresentatives,  and  to  governors  of  states.  Lieutenant-governors, 
members  of  the  legislature  and  mayors  of  cities  are  also  often  “hon¬ 
ored”  thus. 

The  special  form  of  address  to  a  governor  is  “His  Excellency  the 


SOCIAL  AND  BUSINESS  GUIDE 


459 


Governor  of  Illinois”;  to  a  judge,  “His  Honor  Judge  Smith”;  to  a 
mayor,  “The  Honorable  Mayor  of  New  York  City.” 

Members  of  the  British  Parliament  are  “Sir  David  Jones,  M.  P.,” 
or  even  “David  Jones,  Esq.,  M.  P.”  If  he  is  a  duke,  after  the  former 

address,  should  be  “His  Grace  the  Duke  of - .”  A  duke’s  children 

are  “Eight  Honorable.” 

The  king  is  “The  King’s  Most  Excellent  Majesty”  and,  after  the 
formal  salutation,  he  is  addressed  as  “Sire,”  or  “May  it  Please  Your 
Majesty.” 

The  queen  is  “The  Queen’s  Most  Excellent  Majesty”  and 
“Madam”;  the  princess,  “Her  Royal  Highness.” 

A  cardinal  is  addressed  as  “His  Eminence,”  an  archbishop  as 
“The  Most  Reverend,”  and  a  bishop  as  “The  Rt.  Rev.,”  with  such 
titles  as  D.  D.  following  the  names. 

An  ambassador  is  “His  Excellency”  and  a  consul  has  no  distinct¬ 
ive  form  of  address,  the  latter  depending  upon  the  rank  or  title  which 
he  is  entitled  to  assume  in  his  own  country. 


THE  ART  OF  RECEIVING  AND 
ENTERTAINING 


What  is  Expected  of  the  Hostess — Rules  and  Forms  as  to  Invi¬ 
tations  and  Introductions — Dinners,  Suppers,  Luncheons, 
Etc.  —  Literary  Entertainments  and  Music  —  Cards  and 
Other  Games — Novel  Entertainments — Outdoor  Amuse¬ 
ments — Hints  to  the  Hostess  Regarding  These  and  Many 
Other  Matters. 


In  the  previous  chapter  the  writer  has  viewed  various  matters  of 
etiquette  from  the  standpoint  of  the  visitor  and  guest,  or  from  the 
limited  confines  of  the  home  circle.  This  chapter  treats  of  the  art  of 
receiving  and  entertaining  and  is  a  review  of  the  situation  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  host  or  hostess. 

The  guest  has  a  comparatively  easy  task — that  of  conducting  him¬ 
self  with  propriety.  Although  it  is  expected  that  he  will  do  what  he 
can  to  add  to  the  general  pleasure  of  the  company,  he  is  not  obliged 
to  entertain.  The  hostess,  on  the  contrary,  is  under  strict  obligations 
to  do  everything  in  her  power  to  make  it  pleasant  for  her  guests,  and 
is  expected  to  have  decided  upon  some  forms  of  amusement  before¬ 
hand.  In  order  to  be  really  successful  in  the  art  of  receiving  and  en¬ 
tertaining  guests,  the  hostess  should  possess  not  only  pleasing  man¬ 
ners  and  tact  in  bringing  together  those  who  will  be  most  congenial, 
but  she  must  have  a  certain  cool  and  executive  disposition,  that  she 
may  not  be  flurried  over  any  embarrassing  situation  and  that  the  pro¬ 
gram  may  be  carried  out  with  promptness  and  smoothness. 

Invitations  and  Introductions. — Certain  well-defined  rules  have 
been  adopted  by  good  society  as  to  the  form  of  invitations  to  various 
social  functions,  the  style  of  the  invitation  and  the  manner  of  sending 

460 


ART  OF  RECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


461 


it  being  determined  by  the  formal  or  informal  nature  of  the  reception. 
Invitations  to  suppers,  or  informal  affairs,  may  be  written  on  the  left- 
band  corner  of  the  hostess’  visiting  card,  as  “Mrs.  Julia  Brown,  from 
five  to  eight  o’clock,”  or  “Mrs.  John  H.  Gridley,  at  home  on  Monday, 
January  Eighteenth,  Tea  at  five  o’clock.”  If  several  ladies  receive, 
all  their  cards  must  be  enclosed  with  the  invitation.  Invitations  to 
suppers  may  be  extended  in  the  same  way,  or  by  means  of  a  friendly 
note,  the  hostess  being  sure  in  all  cases  to  name  a  definite  hour  and 
the  nature  of  the  reception,  informal  though  it  be. 

For  elaborate  affairs,  such  as  balls  or  receptions  given  in  honor  of 
distinguished  persons,  particular  attention  should  be  given  to  the 
quality  of  the  stationery.  The  invitations  may  be  written  on  note 
paper  (cream  colored,  preferred),  heavy,  finely  grained  and  unruled, 
and  folded  but  once,  with  envelope  to  match.  If  the  invitation  is  in 
the  form  of  a  card,  the  latter  should  be  heavy  and  placed  in  a  square 
envelope  of  large  size. 

Invitations  to  elaborate  and  formal  gatherings  are,  of  course, 
couched  in  formal  language,  as:  “Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Thorndike 
request  the  pleasure  of  your  company  at  dinner,  to  meet  Governor 
Jones,  at  8:30,  126  Graceland  Avenue.  R.  S.  V.  P.  ” 

Such  invitations  should  be  sent  out  by  messenger  at  least  two 
weeks  in  advance  of  the  event  and  the  reply  should  be  promptly  re¬ 
turned,  also  by  messenger. 

It  often  happens  that  the  guest  of  the  evening  is  so  distinguished 
that  it  is  considered  better  form  to  place  his  name  first,  as:  “To  meet 
Governor  Jones,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thorndike  at  home,”  etc. 

But  whatever  the  invitation  and  whether  in  the  form  of  a  note  or 
a  card,  don’t  forget  to  convey  a  definite  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  re¬ 
ception,  as  otherwise  your  guest  will  be  placed  in  the  embarrassing 
predicament  of  not  knowing  how  to  dress  and  otherwise  arrange  her 
coming.  As  stated,  this  information  is  usually  conveyed  in  a  few 
words  in  the  left-hand  corner  of  the  card,  if  the  reception  is  rather 
informal,  such  as:  “Five  o’clock  tea,”  “Small  dance,”  “Matinee 
Musicale,”  etc.  In  the  case  of  an  evening  party  or  ball,  where  the 


462 


AET  OF  KECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


hostess  does  not  desire  her  guests  to  come  in  full  dress,  or  make  other 
extensive  preparations,  she  writes  “informal’’  upon  her  card  of  invi¬ 
tation. 

In  sending  out  your  invitations  be  sure  that  you  dispatch  a  joint 
invitation  to  husband  and  wife. 

Should  there  be  several  young  ladies  in  the  family,  one  invitation 
is  also  sufficient  for  all.  If  there  are  several  sons,  it  is  considered 
better  form  to  send  one  to  each. 

But  it  is  a  great  mistake  to  include  two  unrelated  young  ladies  or 
gentlemen  in  one  invitation,  although  they  may  be  living  in  the  same 
house. 

When  the  guests  commence  to  arrive,  it  is  best  for  the  hostess 
(provided  she  has  a  servant  or  other  assistant  to  first  receive  them) 
to  take  a  position  near  the  main  entrance,  where  she  can  be  readily 
seen  and  easily  reached.  It  is  best  that  she  should  not  move  from  room 
to  room,  until  at  least  the  majority  of  her  guests  have  arrived. 

If  they  are  not  acquainted  then  comes  the  ordeal  of  a  proper  intro¬ 
duction.  This,  however,  need  cause  no  uneasiness  if  several  cardinal 
points  be  always  kept  in  mind;  they  are: 

(a)  Gentlemen  must  be  presented  to  ladies,  as  “Miss  Jones,  allow 
me  to  make  you  acquainted  with  Mr.  Smith”;  or  simply,  “Miss  Jones, 
Mr.  Smith.”  As  a  rule,  the  simpler  the  form  of  introduction,  the  bet¬ 
ter;  although  it  sometimes  happens  that  the  hostess  may  have  been 
especially  desirous  that  two  of  her  friends  should  meet,  when  by  mak¬ 
ing  the  introduction  more  elaborate  she  is  able  to  throw  more  cordiality 
into  the  ceremony. 

(b)  Youth  must  be  presented  to  age. 

(c)  Inferior  rank  must  be  presented  to  superior;  for  even  in  the 
most  unpretentious  society  there  are  obvious  differences  in  the  rank 
of  people  thrown  together,  aside  from  the  purely  artificial  and  un¬ 
worthy  distinction  often  created  by  wealth. 

If  the  hostess  cannot  herself  introduce  unacquainted  guests  while 
others  are  arriving,  during  the  earlier  portion  of  the  evening,  it  is 
proper  for  her  to  request  an  intimate  friend  to  do  so,  and  to  entertain 


ART  OF  RECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


463 


the  stranger  until  the  latter  has  evidently  been  placed  in  a  position  to 
feel  at  ease. 

These  preliminaries  to  an  entertainment  of  any  kind  are  usually 
the  most  trying  stages  to  a  hostess,  as,  after  all  the  guests  have  become 
acquainted  and  conversation  becomes  general,  formalities  are,  in  a 
measure,  placed  in  the  background  and  each  guest  does  his  part  to 
lighten  her  burdens.  In  receiving,  especially,  the  hostess  must  know 
how  to  stand  properly  and  gracefully.  Upon  no  account  should  she 
place  her  hands  upon  her  hips  or  behind  her.  The  most  natural  and 
graceful  attitude  is  to  stand  easily,  when  not  actually  welcoming  the 
guests,  with  one  hand  placed  lightly  in  the  other.  Perhaps  an  even 
better  rule  is  to  endeavor  to  forget  the  hands  entirely. 

Dinners,  Suppers,  Luncheons,  Etc. — Dinners  are  attended  by  both 
sexes,  while  suppers  are  more  apt  to  be  given  by,  and  for  gentlemen, 
and  luncheons  and  afternoon  teas  are  the  particular  delight  of  the  fair 
sex.  Breakfasts  are  customary  among  literary  people  of  both  sexes, 
whose  working  hours  are  usually  chosen  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day, 
ten  0  ’clock  being  the  customary  hour  for  such  events.  When  a  supper 
is  on  the  program,  it  is  usually  only  one  of  the  entertaining  features, 
such  as  music,  dancing,  etc.,  but  the  dinner  is  virtually  all-in-all — to 
use  an  appropriate,  although  somewhat  crude  expression,  “the  whole 
thing.” 

This  is  the  occasion  when  conversation  should  be  at  its  best,  when 
there  should  be  no  privacies  between  guests,  and  when  host  and  hostess 
should  show  the  utmost  care  not  only  in  bringing  together  people  who 
are  congenial,  but  in  the  seating  of  those  who  are  invited. 

It  is  generally  considered  that  the  oval-shaped  table  is  best  adapted 
for  the  dinner  party,  with  the  host  and  hostess  facing  each  other  at  the 
sides. 

The  most  enjoyable  dinner  party  has  neither  too  many  guests  nor 
too  many  servants;  either  extreme  is  apt  to  create  confusion. 

As  to  table  decorations  and  food,  suggestions  have  been  given  else¬ 
where,  but  one  precaution  should  be  made  emphatic,  and  that  is  against 
placing  flowers  upon  the  table  which  have  pronounced  perfumes,  as 


464 


ART  OF  RECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


those  which  may  be  agreeable  to  some  may  be  so  distasteful  to  others 
as  to  make  enjoyment  of  any  kind  impossible. 

If  convenient,  it  is  better  to  have  the  carving  done  away  from  the 
table,  as  the  guests  are  thereby  served  more  promptly  and  with  less 
confusion. 

If  two  servants  are  waiting  upon  the  table,  the  guest  to  the  right 
of  the  host  should  be  served  first,  and  then  those  in  order,  and  in  that 
direction,  until  the  hostess  is  reached  on  the  other  side  of  the  table; 
the  second  waiter  should  commence  with  the  guest  to  the  right  of  the 
hostess  and  serve  in  that  direction  until  the  host  is  reached,  who  is 
served  last. 

The  servant  should  have  a  napkin  so  arranged  that  it  will  cover 
the  thumb  and  any  other  portion  of  the  hand  which  rests  upon  the  in¬ 
side  of  the  dishes. 

If  the  dinner  is  given  in  honor  of  a  person,  or  persons,  in  entering 
the  room  the  host  should  escort  the  most  honored  lady  first,  and  last 
should  come  the  hostess  with  the  most  honored  gentleman. 

Whether  the  dinner  is  given  to  a  select  few,  or  to  many,  the  more 
substantial  courses  should  be  preceded  by  soup,  fish  or  oysters  and  be 
followed  by  salad,  desserts,  nuts,  sweetmeats  and  coffee. 

The  breakfast,  on  the  other  hand,  is  ushered  in  with  fruit,  followed 
by  eggs,  or  breakfast  food,  and  some  light  meat,  such  as  duck  or  fried 
chicken. 

Literary  Entertainments  and  Music. — There  are  few  receptions  or 
entertainments  of  a  general  and  social  nature  which  do  not  embrace 
some  of  the  features  mentioned  above.  In  the  arrangement  of  the  pro¬ 
grams,  as  well  as  the  selection  of  the  participants,  the  hostess  carefully 
considers  the  tastes  and  temperaments  of  her  guests. 

If  most  of  the  company  are  young  society  people  she  does  not 
burden  the  company  with  essays  on  political  or  philosophical  subjects, 
or  selections  from  the  great  dramatists,  but  sees  that  the  prevailing 
tone  of  the  program  is  light  and  lively.  Should  she  have  in  the  com¬ 
pany  one  who  would  be  shocked  by  anything  approaching  to  the 


ART  OF  KECEIVING  AND  ENTEETAINING 


465 


frivolous  in  the  treatment  of  religious  topics,  she  is  careful  that  nothing 
shall  be  rendered  to  offend.  If  one  has  been  unhappy  or  unfortunate  in 
her  marriage  relations,  that  fact  is  also  taken  into  consideration;  and, 
as  she  has  arranged  the  program,  she  is  held  to  accountability  for  any 
jars  or  pain  which  it  occasions. 

The  same  rule  applies  to  the  carrying  out  of  a  musical  program,  as 
a  whole,  although,  of  course,  the  hostess  cannot  be  held  responsible 
for  what  occurs  as  the  result  of  encores,  in  case  the  participants  are 
not  members  of  her  family. 

Speaking  to  this  latter  point,  it  should  be  remarked  that  it  is  in 
bad  taste  for  the  hostess  to  parade  the  accomplishments  of  her  family 
before  her  guests,  when  she  has  reason  to  know  that  there  is  other 
talent  in  the  company  which  might  have  added  to  the  general  enter¬ 
tainment  had  it  been  called  into  play. 

It  is  also  impolite  for  the  hostess,  or  any  member  of  the  company 
for  that  matter,  to  insist  that  any  one  shall  declaim,  read,  or  render 
music,  when  it  is  evident  that  there  is  a  disinclination  to  do  so.  The 
refusal  may  come  from  the  knowledge  of  one’s  inability  to  do  justice 
to  the  subject,  or  at  least  from  a  feeling  of  uncertainty  as  to  the  result, 
and  is  therefore  prompted  by  a  desire  to  save  the  company  from  the 
embarrassment  which  springs  from  the  perception  of  embarrassment  in 
another. 

Cards  and  Other  Games. — As  a  rule,  if  there  is  to  be  any  entertain¬ 
ing  aside  from  music,  declamation  or  literary  matters,  the  hostess 
selects  cards  as  the  main  feature.  If  young  people  are  to  be  present, 
however,  it  is  thoughtful  and  courteous  to  provide  other  games,  such 
as  dominoes,  backgammon  and  checkers. 

A  very  simple  game  from  which  the  young  people  may  derive  much 
sport  is  played  with  the  full  set  of  checkers  and  a  common  thick  glass, 
or  tumbler.  The  latter  is  placed  in  the  middle  of  a  large  table,  the 
checkers  are  equally  divided  between  the  players  and  the  party  is 
divided  into  two  “sides.”  The  players  snap  their  checkers  from  the 
edge  of  the  table,  the  object  being  to  shoot  your  opponent’s  men  off  the 
table,  or  get  as  near  the  glass  as  possible.  Every  checker  which  is  shot 

30— L  S 


466 


ART  OF  RECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


off  the  table  is  placed  in  the  glass,  where  it  remains  until  the  end  of  the 
inning,  counting  one  point  for  the  side  whose  player  snapped  it  off. 
The  other  points  are  determined  by  the  nuniber  of  checkers  on  each 
side  which  are  nearest  the  glass.  The  game  may  consist  of  any  number 
of  points  determined  on,  and,  with  practice,  the  skill  acquired  in  shoot¬ 
ing,  or  snapping,  is  quite  remarkable. 

For  the  older  people  some  form  of  euchre  or  whist  is  generally  de¬ 
cided  upon,  the  nature  of  the  game  depending  upon  individual  prefer¬ 
ences.  It  is  a  bad  plan  to  mix  your  games — that  is,  have  some  euchre 
tables  and  some  whist;  since  it  is  well  known  that  scientific  whist 
players  are  much  annoyed  by  the  noise  and  chatter  which  usually  ac¬ 
companies  the  more  lively  and  perhaps  shallow  games  of  euchre.  So 
the  hostess  should  “stick  to  her  text”  and  it  is  seldom,  now-a-days, 
that  she  does  otherwise.  We  can  only  give  this  advice  to  those  who 
wish  to  be  scientific  whist  players:  Commence  by  carefully  studying 
Hoyle  and  Pole  on  the  rules  of  the  game. 

It  should  not  be  forgotten,  also,  that  there  are  certain  observances 
which  constitute  the  etiquette  of  whist.  Hoyle’s  Etiquette  embraces 
the  following  points : 

Two  packs  of  cards  should  be  used  at  regular  clubs. 

Anyone  having  the  lead  and  several  winning  cards  to  play  should 
not  draw  a  second  card  out  of  his  hand  until  his  partner  has  played 
to  the  first  trick,  such  being  a  distinct  intimation  that  the  former  has 
played  a  winning  card. 

No  intimation  whatever,  by  word  or  gesture,  should  be  given  by  a 
player  as  to  the  state  of  his  hand,  or  of  the  game. 

The  question  “Who  dealt?”  is  irregular  and,  if  asked,  should  not 
be  answered. 

A  player  who  desires  the  cards  to  be  placed,  or  who  demands  to 
see  the  last  trick,  or  who  asks  what  the  trump  suit  is,  should  do  it  for 
his  own  information  only,  and  not  in  order  to  invite  the  attention  of 
his  partner. 


ART  OF  RECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


467 


No  player  should  object  to  refer  to  a  bystander,  who  professes  him¬ 
self  uninterested  in  the  game  and  able  to  decide  any  disputed  question 
of  facts. 

It  is  unfair  to  revoke  (to  neglect  to  follow  suit)  purposely.  Having 
made  a  revoke  a  player  is  not  justified  in  making  a  second  in  order  to 
conceal  the  first. 

Bystanders  should  make  no  remark.  Neither  should  they  by  word 
or  gesture  give  any  intimation  of  the  state  of  the  game  until  concluded 
and  scored.  Nor  should  they  walk  around  the  table  to  look  at  the 
different  hands. 

There  are  several  variations  from  the  regular  game  of  whist  which 
often  furnish  agreeable  diversions.  In  French  whist,  for  example,  the 
points  in  the  game  are  forty  instead  of  ten,  the  honors  count  for  those 
who  win  them  and  the  ten  of  diamonds,  while  not  played  as  a  trump, 
counts  ten,  and  is  therefore  the  most  important  card  in  the  pack  to 
retain. 

There  are  also  various  forms  of  euchre  besides  the  regulation  game 
— such  as  three-handed,  set-back  and  French.  The  latter  game  is 
played  with  twenty-eight,  instead  of  thirty-two  cards,  both  sevens  and 
eights  being  discarded.  The  players  bid  for  the  trump  and  the  one 
who  bids  the  highest  must,  with  the  help  of  his  partner,  take  the  ma¬ 
jority  of  the  tricks  to  make  the  points  which  he  bid;  if  he  is  euchred, 
his  opponents  count  the  number  of  points  which  he  failed  to  make. 
Fifteen  is  the  game. 

Cribbage  is  a  mild,  pleasant  game  for  two,  but  is  going  out  of 
vogue,  although  many  elderly  people  prefer  it  to  any  other,  and  it  is 
well  for  the  hostess  to  have  a  board  on  hand  to  meet  emergencies. 

Bezique  and  pinocle  are  quite  popular  with  many  who  seek  a  diver¬ 
sion  from  both  whist  and  euchre.  The  former  is  ordinarily  played 
by  two  persons  with  a  euchre  pack  of  thirty-two  cards,  the  game  being 
1,000  points,  and  the  following  cards  or  combination  of  cards  count¬ 
ing:  Ace  or  ten,  taken  or  saved,  10  points;  seven  of  trumps,  played 
or  turned  up,  10  points;  the  last  trick,  10  points;  king  and  queen  of 
same  suit  other  than  trumps  (a  common  marriage),  20  points;  king 


468 


AET  OF  EECEIVING  AND  ENTEETAINING 


and  queen  of  trumps  (a  royal  marriage),  40  points;  queen  of  spades 
and  knave  of  diamonds  (simple  bezique),  40  points;  four  knaves,  40 
points;  four  queens,  60  points;  four  kings,  80  points;  four  aces,  100 
points;  a  sequence  (quint  major),  250  points,  and  two  queens  of  spades 
and  two  knaves  of  diamonds  (double  bezique),  500  points. 

Pinocle,  wliicb  is  esentially  a  German  game  but  becoming  quite 
popular  in  America,  is  played  with  two  packs  of  cards,  by  retaining 
only  the  cards  above  the  eight.  Two,  three  or  four  persons  may  play 
the  game,  which  is  for  1,000  points.  The  points  depend  on  the  indi¬ 
vidual  value  of  the  cards  won  or  retained,  as  well  as  the  combinations 
of  cards.  The  special  values  are  as  follows:  ace,  11  points;  ten,  10 
points;  king,  4  points;  queen,  3  points;  knave,  2  points,  and  nine, 
nothing,  unless  it  is  turned  up  as  a  trump,  when  it  counts  10  points. 
The  combination  values  are:  eight  aces,  1,000  points;  eight  kings,  800 
points;  eight  queens,  600  points;  eight  knaves,  400  points;  two  queens 
of  spades  and  two  knaves  of  diamonds  (double  pinocle),  300  points; 
ace,  king,  queen  and  knave  of  trumps,  150  points;  four  aces  of  differ¬ 
ent  suits,  100  points;  four  kings  of  the  same,  80  points;  four  queens  of 
the  same,  60  points ;  four  knaves  of  the  same,  40  points ;  queen  of  spades 
and  knave  of  diamonds  (pinocle),  40  points;  king  and  queen  of  trumps 
(royal  marriage),  40  points;  king  and  queen  of  suit  not  trumps,  20 
points.  The  game  is  won  the  moment  the  1,000  mark  is  reached,  and 
if  a  player  claims  the  game  before  he  has  actually  won  it,  he  forfeits 
it.  The  official  score  is  usually  kept  by  an  outside  party.  In  making 
combinations  of  cards  no  one  card  can  be  used  twice. 

The  game  of  hearts  is  also  a  popular  card  amusement.  It  is  played 
with  a  whist  pack,  there  are  no  trumps,  and  the  object  of  the  game 
is  to  avoid  taking  any  trick  which  contains  a  heart. 

But  as  card  playing  is  almost  as  old  as  civilization,  it  is  obviously 
impossible  to  exhaust  the  subject  here,  and  we  can  only  give  a  few 
hints  for  the  benefit  of  the  entertainer. 

Novel  Entertainments. — In  a  mixed  company,  the  members  of 
which  have  quite  a  diversity  of  tastes,  it  is  well  for  the  entertainer  k) 
fix  upon  some  forms  of  amusement  in  which  all  may  join. 


ART  OF  RECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


469 


A  suggestion,  which  is  never  followed  without  causing  much 
interest  and  amusement,  is  for  the  hostess  to  arrange  with  those  who 
are  to  attend  the  party  for  their  photographs,  showing  them  at  their 
youngest  ages.  Having  been  collected  the  photographs  are  numbered, 
and  slips  having  the  corresponding  numbers  are  prepared  for  the 
expected  guests.  These  slips  are  distributed,  but  care  is  taken  that 
only  those  numbers  shall  appear  upon  them  which  represent  persons 
actually  present.  Each  guest  then  endeavors  to  identify  the  photo¬ 
graphs,  writing  the  name  of  the  person  opposite  the  corresponding- 
number  on  her  slip,  the  name  of  the  guesser  being  written  at  the  top 
of  the  slip. 

If  there  is  time,  the  hostess  may  then  suggest  that,  as  her  friends 
have  guessed  as  to  the  earliest  photographs,  they  should  have  a  chance 
to  show  their  skill  at  the  latest  likenesses.  Each  guest  should  then 
be  furnished  with  a  sheet  of  paper  numbered  at  the  top,  for  which 
there  must  be  a  sheet  with  a  corresponding  number — that  is,  there 
must  be  two  sets  of  duplicate  sheets.  Each  guest  having  found  his 
duplicate,  the  company  separates  into  pairs,  each  member  drawing 
the  likeness  of  the  other  to  the  best  of  his  ability.  When  all  have 
finished,  the  drawings  are  collected  and  pinned  on  a  curtain,  after 
which  each  artist  identifies  as  many  as  possible,  the  sides  of  the  sheets 
upon  which  the  drawings  are  made  being  numbered  consecutively. 

These  forms  of  amusement  train  the  eye  to  detect  peculiarities  of 
features  or  expression,  as  well  as  to  note  details  of  dress,  while 
others  are  sometimes  provided  to  test  the  other  senses — such,  for 
example,  as  that  of  smell.  Get  a  number  of  homeopathic  vials  and 
place  therein  long  enough  so  that  the  fragrance  or  odor  will  still 
cling  to  them,  such  substances  and  liquids  as  arnica,  rose  water,  pep¬ 
permint,  tobacco,  tar,  tea,  coffee,  quinine  and  sarsaparilla,  or  anything 
else  which  may  occur  to  you,  and,  having  placed  the  vials  on  the 
center  table,  invite  your  friends  to  identify  the  scents.  The  differ¬ 
ences  of  opinion  as  to  what  they  originally  contained  will  be  surpris¬ 
ing  as  well  as  amusing. 

In  all  such  cases  it  adds  to  the  interest,  as  well  as  the  pleasure  of 


470 


AET  OF  EECEIVING  AND  ENTEETAINING 


the  company,  to  provide  some  simple  prizes  to  be  given  to  the  most 
successful  guessers. 

The  game  of  Predicaments,  although  of  German  origin  and  not 
new,  is  always  mirth-provoking  and  novel  to  many.  The  way  to  play 
is  to  whisper  a  predicament  to  your  right-hand  neighbor  —  for 
example,  “Suppose  on  entering  the  church  to  be  married,  just  as  the 
organ  struck  up  the  Wedding  March,  your  nose  should  commence  to 
bleed — what  would  you  do?”  Having  stated  the  predicament  you 
whisper  the  remedy  to  the  guest  on  your  left,  “I  should  beckon  the 
head  usher  and  request  him  to  state  that  as  I  was  temporarily  indis¬ 
posed,  the  ceremony  would  have  to  be  deferred  for  a  few  minutes.” 
It  can  readily  be  seen  how  much  amusement  will  be  caused  by  the 
coupling  of  predicaments  and  remedies  which  were  not  intended  for 
each  other. 

Ingenuity  with  pencil  may  afford  many  novel  forms  of  amuse¬ 
ments.  A  simple  suggestion  is  to  provide  sheets  of  paper,  which  are 
placed  upon  a  table  in  an  even  pile,  the  leader  being  provided  with 
six  pins.  Five  of  these  are  held  above  the  pile  of  sheets,  a  few  feet 
away,  and  dropped  so  that  they  will  not  fall  off.  The  sixth  pin  is 
used  to  mark  the  heads  of  the  other  five,  the  holes  being  made 
through  the  entire  pile  of  sheets.  Each  guest  is  then  to  draw  the 
picture  of  some  animal,  the  outlines  of  which  shall  include  one  pin 
hole  in  the  head  and  one  in  each  of  the  hands  and  feet,  or  feet  alone, 
if  the  figure  be  other  than  human. 

Or  the  artist  may  commence  with  the  head  of  any  figure,  fold  the 
paper  over  so  as  to  conceal  his  effort  and  pass  along  to  the  right,  for 
the  addition  of  the  body.  His  right-hand  neighbor  having  completed 
the  body,  hands  the  paper  over  to  the  right-hand  guest,  who  adds  the 
lower  limbs.  When  the  papers  are  unfolded,  as  each  artist  is  ignorant 
of  what  his  neighbor  has  done,  the  results  are  often  extremely  gro¬ 
tesque. 

A  variation  from  the  old-fashioned  game  of  “  puss-in- the-corner” 
is  for  the  players  to  place  their  chairs  in  a  circle,  one  being  empty, 
and  the  person  who  is  standing  in  the  center  endeavor  to  sit  in  it. 


AET  OF  EECEIVING  AND  ENTEETAINING 


471 


As  the  rule  is  for  each  person  to  sit  in  the  unoccupied  chair  to  the 
right,  this  is  often  extremely  difficult.  As  the  circle  of  players  is  con¬ 
tinually  moving  to  the  right,  as  rapidly  as  possible,  the  game  is  often 
called  the  Whirlwind. 

Who  Knows  That  Nose?  is  played  by  the  audience  endeavoring 
to  guess  the  possessor  of  the  nose,  which  is  thrust  through  a  slit  in  a 
curtain.  The  company  before  and  behind  the  curtain  should  be  about 
equally  divided,  so  that  the  correct  guess  will  not  be  so  easy  a  matter. 

In  these  days  of  mind-reading  and  occult  mysteries,  the  person 
with  a  little  ingenuity  may  sometimes  astound  a  party  in  a  very  simple 
fashion — when  you  know  how  the  trick  is  done.  Each  person  in  the 
room  is  asked  to  write  a  word,  or  short  sentence,  on  a  piece  of  paper. 
The  slips  are  collected  in  a  hat,  which  is  placed  on  the  table  before 
the  “mind-reader,”  who  proceeds  to  draw  one  and  press  it  to  his 
forehead,  covering  it  carefully  with  his  fingers.  He  may  make  up 
any  word  for  his  first  slip  and  afterward  lay  the  paper,  with  the 
writing  side  up,  near  the  hat.  As  he  proceeds  to  draw  the  next  slip, 
he  glances  at  the  one  he  has  laid  down  and,  as  he  presses  the  second 
to  his  forehead,  repeats  the  word  or  words  he  has  seen  on  the  first; 
and  so  on.  This  trick  can  usually  be  successfully  played  when  there 
are  quite  a  number  of  persons  in  the  room,  so  that  by  comparing  notes 
they  will  not  be  likely  to  discover  that  the  mind-reader  has  made  a 
sad  mistake  in  repeating  the  words  written  on  the  first  slip. 

In  winter  provide  yourself  with  a  piece  of  camphor  and  you  may 
show  the  company  the  astonishing  spectacle  of  a  blazing  snowball, 
provided  you  can  slip  your  camphor  into  it,  unobserved,  while  pack¬ 
ing  it  into  shape.  You  must  be  careful  to  get  the  camphor  near  enough 
to  the  surface  so  that  it  will  readily  ignite. 

If  you  are  with  intimate  friends  and  wish  to  have  some  innocent 
fun  with  one  of  them,  whom  you  know  will  take  the  joke  good- 
naturedly,  play  Farmyard.  Give  jfil  your  friends  the  name  of  some 
farmyard  animal  or  fowl,  including,  of  course,  the  donkey.  Instruct 
them  all,  except  the  one  who  is  to  bray,  that  at  the  given  signal  to 


472 


AET  OF  BECEIVING  AND  ENTERTAINING 


commence  the  “concert”  they  must  be  perfectly  silent.  All  being  in 
readiness  the  signal  is  given,  with  the  result  only  of  one  loud  bray. 

The  above  are  simple  forms  of  entertainment  for  young  people 
and  those  of  mature  years,  whose  tastes  are  varied.  It  is  hoped  that 
they  will  at  least  assist  our  readers  to  pass  many  pleasant  informal 
evenings  and  especially  lighten  the  burdens  of  those  called  upon  to 
lead  in  the  entertainment  of  others. 

Outdoor  Amusements. — When  it  comes  to  the  subject  of  outdoor 
amusements,  the  art  of  entertaining  is  a  less  difficult  matter,  as  the 
participants  naturally  feel  less  restraint  and,  in  the  open  air,  the  indi¬ 
vidual  is  much  more  apt  to  be  free  and  natural.  Boating,  bathing, 
liorseback  riding  and  bicycling,  are  open  to  all,  and,  of  late  years,  in 
the  large  cities,  parties  are  organized,  in  suitable  weather,  to  take 
trolley  rides.  A  car  is  chartered  and  in  some  grove,  or  other  pleasure 
grounds,  a  luncheon  is  provided  by  the  entertainer,  or,  if  it  is  a  pic¬ 
nic  of  the  good  old-fashioned  kind,  each  brings  his  quota  of  edibles. 

Croquet,  lawn  tennis  and  golf  are  ever  with  us  through  the 
warm  months,  and  all  the  changes  imaginable,  from  the  church  affair 
to  the  high-society  function,  with  music,  dancing  and  gorgeously  deco¬ 
rated  grounds,  are  rung  upon  the  lawn  party  itself. 

Skating  and  sleighing  parties,  ice-boating  and  tobogganing,  with 
snow-shoe  racing  and  “skeeing”  for  the  more  northern  sections  of 
the  country,  and  especially  the  Canadian  and  Scandinavian  elements, 
constitute  popular  forms  of  winter  amusements,  in  which  the  enter¬ 
tainment  depends  little  on  personal  management,  but  rather  on  indi¬ 
vidual  enthusiasm  and  favorable  external  conditions. 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  YOUR  OWN 
BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 

A  Simple  Course  in  Business  Training 

The  Advantage  to  Everyone  of  Business  Methods — Simple  but  Approved 
Ways  of  Keeping  Books — General  Entry  Book,  Day  Book,  or  Book 
of  Original  Entry — The  Cash  Book — List  of  Common  Business 
Terms  with  Abbreviations — The  Journal  and  the  Ledger — Trial  Bal¬ 
ances,  Closing  the  Ledger,  etc. — Accounts — Aids  in  Business — General 
Postal  Suggestions — Minimum  Weights  of  Produce. 


In  America  more  than  in  any  other  country  a  certain  amount  of 
business  training  is  considered  to  be  an  advantage  to  everyone.  We 
have  already  suggested  how  the  farmer,  or  other  person  who  does 
not  feel  inclined  to  master  standard  business  methods,  may  still  keep 
his  accounts  according  to  a  simple  and  practical  system.  There  are 
others,  however,  whose  transactions  may  be  larger  and  more  compli¬ 
cated,  who  have  not  been  able  to  attend  a  commercial  college  and  yet 
are  anxious  to  clearly  understand  the  principles  of  business.  Having 
once  mastered  the  simple  principles,  they  may  readily  apply  them  to 
individual  cases.  This  is,  therefore,  an  education  which  not  only 
develops  methodical  ways  and  enables  one  to  accomplish  a  large 
amount  of  work  with  a  settled  and  clear  mind,  but  becomes  a  spur  to 
originality. 

Simple  or  Complex — Single  or  Double  Entry. — The  first  thing  to 
be  decided  is  whether  the  nature  of  your  business  requires  a  simple  or 
a  complex  system  of  bookkeeping.  If  you  decide  in  favor  of  the 
former  you  will  adopt  the  system  of  single  entry  bookkeeping — that 
is,  you  will  have  a  general  entry  book,  known  as  the  Day  Book,  or 

473 


474 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


Book  of  Original  Entry,  in  which  you  will  record  all  transactions. 
This  will  show  you  how  you  stand  toward  any  individual  or  firm  with 
whom  you  have  had  any  dealings.  Be  careful  to  always  record  dates 
and  particulars,  so  that  if  you  have  other  books  you  will  have  no 
difficulty  in  transferring  and  classifying  the  items. 

If  any  mistakes  occur,  especially  if  you  are  an  employee  and  enter¬ 
ing  the  transactions  for  another  person,  it  is  better  to  make  your, 
corrections  in  red  ink  than  to  erase  anything. 

The  Day  Book  alone  is  not  considered  sufficient  to  properly  record 
business  transactions,  however  limited,  it  being  almost  impossible 
to  keep  it  so  that  prompt  information  may  be  obtained  either  as  to  the 
general  status  of  the  business,  or  of  special  accounts. 

Besides  the  Day  Book  it  is  considered  quite  necessary  to  have  a 
Cash  Book,  in  which  is  entered  items  of  receipts  and  expenditures  in 
cash.  In  case  you  have  a  separate  Cash  Book,  these  items  should  not 
be  recorded  in  the  Day  Book. 

Another  important  class  of  items  to  keep  separate  from  the  Day 
Book  includes  the  sales  of  the  store  or  farm.  This  is  known  as  the 
Sales  Book,  and  when  used  by  the  merchant  sometimes  consists  of  a 
copy  of  the  bills  which  he  sends  to  his  customers.  The  opposite  of 
this  is  the  Invoice  Book,  in  which  are  recorded  all  items  showing  the 
purchases  made. 

Supposing,  however,  that  it  has  been  decided  to  keep  only  a  Day 
Book  and  a  Cash  Book.  It  must  be  remembered  that  in  the  Day  Book 
every  separate  transaction  must  be  recorded;  there  must  be  no  group¬ 
ing  of  items,  and  the  amount  of  each  item,  whether  it  be  a  purchase 
or  an  expense  (credit)  or  a  sale  and  a  receipt  (debit),  should  be  car¬ 
ried  out  toward  the  right-hand  margin  of  the  book.  The  common 
words  “bought”  and  “sold”  are  used  in  the  Day  Book,  but  when  the 
Cash  Book  is  opened,  the  debit  (Dr.)  items  should  be  entered  on  the 
left-hand  page,  or  left  half  of  a  page,  and  credit  items  (Cr.)  on  the 
right-hand  page,  or  right-hand  half  of  page. 

List  of  Business  Terms,  with  Abbreviations. — In  the  course  of 
business  transactions  many  terms  and  abbreviations  are  in  common 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


475 


use,  which  to  many  are  at  least  not  clearly  understood.  For  handy 
reference  we  give  below  a  list  of  some  of  the  most  common: 

Accommodation  paper — Credit,  or  commercial  paper  advanced. 

Accrued — Interest  (usually)  due,  but  unpaid. 

Account  sales — Statement  rendered  by  merchant,  or  agent,  show¬ 
ing  net  profits  from  goods  sold  for  another. 

Ad  lib. — At  pleasure. 

Ad  valorem — According  to  value. 

Assignee — An  agent  to  whom  property  is  assigned  to  be  sold  for 
the  benefit  of  creditors. 

Assignor — One  who  transfers  or  assigns  something  to  another. 

Attachment — Holding  of  a  person  or  goods  by  legal  means  to 
secure  a  debt. 

Attorney  (Power  of) — A  document  by  which  a  person  authorizes 
another  to  act  in  his  stead. 

Auditor — One  authorized  to  adjust  accounts. 

Bill  of  exchange — An  order  from  creditor  to  debtor,  by  the  ac¬ 
ceptance  of  which  the  latter  agrees  to  pay  the  former  a  specified  sum 
upon  a  certain  day. 

Bill  of  lading — A  freight  receipt  given  by  any  transportation 
agent,  and  when  presented  at  the  point  of  destination  by  the  shipper, 
calling  for  the  delivery  of  goods  by  the  carrier. 

Bills  discounted — Documents  calling  for  money  in  the  future,  from 
the  face  value  of  which  bankers  have  deducted  certain  sums  in  return 
for  allowing  the  holders  the  cash — minus  the  discount. 

Bills  payable — Commercial  paper  held  against  others. 

Bills  receivable — Commercial  paper  due  from  others. 

Bot. — Bought. 

Brot.  frd. — Brought  forward. 

Call  loan — A  secured  loan  subject  to  call,  or  to  be  repaid  at  any 
time. 

Carte  blanche — Blank  paper,  excepting  a  signature,  giving  one 
authority  to  do  anything  which  in  his  judgment  he  thinks  proper. 

C.  B. — Cash  Book. 


476 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIES 


Cash  credit — Privilege,  obtained  by  depositing  security,  of  drawing 
cash  from  bank. 

Certified  check — Check  certified  to,  by  the  bank  on  which  it  is 
drawn,  making  the  bank  formally  responsible  for  its  payment. 

Clearance — Certificate  by  which  the  custom  authorities  allow  a 
vessel  to  leave  port. 

Clearing  house — Place  where  banks  settle  their  accounts  and  dif¬ 
ferences. 

Collateral  (coll.) — Security  to  indemnify  a  lender,  in  case  the 
money  loaned  is  not  paid. 

Collect  on  delivery  (C.  O.  D.) — Form  of  bill,  which,  when  so 
marked,  authorizes  collection  upon  delivery  of  goods. 

Consignment  (Const.) — The  sending  of  goods  to  a  party  for  sale. 

Consignee — The  one  to  whom  the  goods  are  consigned. 

Consignor — The  one  who  consigns  goods. 

Conveyance — The  legal  paper  by  which  property  is  transferred. 

Coupon — Interest  certificate,  which  is  clipped  off  when  payment  is 
made. 

D.  B. — Day  Book. 

Days  of  grace — Three  days  legally  allowed  beyond  date  of  pay¬ 
ment  mentioned  in  the  note. 

Debenture — A  certificate  allowing  the  seizure  of  property  named 
in  the  mortgage,  if  the  conditions  mentioned  are  not  carried  out. 

Del  credere — A  term  by  which  the  credit  of  the  purchaser  is  guar¬ 
anteed. 

Donee — One  to  whom  a  bequest  is  given,  or  a  gift  is  made. 

Donor — -The  one  who  gives  or  bequeathes. 

Dormant — A  silent  partner. 

E.  E. — Errors  excepted. 

Estoppel — A  person’s  act  which  prevents  him  from  making  a 
given  plea,  or  defense. 

Face — Exact  sum  named  in  a  note. 

Factor — One  to  whom  the  actual  goods  are  consigned  for  sale;  if 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


477 


lie  sold  by  sample  the  agent  would  be  a  broker.  In  the  former  case 
the  commission  is  called  factorage;  in  the  latter,  brokerage. 

Fac  simile — ^An  exact  copy. 

Fee  simple — The  title  by  which  a  person  holds  an  estate  in  his 
own  right  and  by  which  it  descends  to  his  heirs. 

Free  on  Board  (F.  0.  B.) — A  term  implying  the  delivery  of  goods 
by  the  shipper  to  the  point  of  destination;  a  bill  or  invoice  thus  marked 
includes  all  shipping  expenses. 

Freehold — Land  held  in  fee  simple. 

Guarantee,  or  guaranty — A  surety  for  performance  of  a  certain 
act. 

Guarantor — One  who  makes  the  guarantee,  or  stipulations. 

Hypothecate — To  take  as  security. 

Indemnity — Recompense  for  injury  or  loss. 

Indenture — An  agreement  in  writing  between  several  parties. 

Intestate — Dying  without  making  a  will, 

I.  B. — Invoice  Book. 

Joint  stock — Stock  held  jointly,  as  by  a  company. 

Jour. — Journal. 

Legal  tender — Legal  money. 

Letter  of  credit — A  letter  by  which  the  writer  authorizes  the 
holder  to  receive  money  on  the  writer’s  account. 

Lien — A  legal  claim  on  property  to  satisfy  a  debt. 

Liquidation — The  settling  of  accounts,  or  the  paying  otf  of  debts. 

Manifest  — List  comprising  articles  in  a  ship’s  cargo. 

Margin — The  sum  deposited  with  a  broker  to  meet  any  loss  to  the 
investor  caused  by  a  decline  in  stocks. 

Maturity — The  date  when  a  draft  or  note  is  due. 

Mortgagee — The  person  to  whom  a  mortgage  is  given. 

Mortgagor — One  who  gives  a  mortgage. 

Negotiable  paper — Written  obligations,  such  as  notes,  checks,  or 
drafts,  which  may  be  readily  transferred. 

Open  policy — A  policy  not  yet  closed,  or  upon  which  amounts  are 
to  be  ascertained  and  insured. 


478 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


0.  C. — Over  charge. 

Premium — Payment  for  insurance. 

Prima  facie — On  the  first  view. 

Protest — A  notary ’s  official  notice  of  non-payment  of  a  written  obli¬ 
gation. 

Pro  rata — According  to  the  rate ;  proportionately. 

Prox. — The  coming  month. 

Reversionary  interest — An  interest  in  property  which  reverts  to  a 
former  owner,  either  at  a  certain  date  or  at  the  death  of  the  holder. 

Scrip — Dividends  payable  in  stock. 

Set-off — A  claim  off-setting  a  debt. 

Short  exchange — Bills  payable  at  sight,  or  a  few  days  after  being 
issued. 

Silent  partner — One  who  furnishes  capital,  but  whose  name  does 
not  appear  as  a  member  of  the  firm. 

Sinking  fund — A  fund  set  apart  for  the  payment  of  debts. 

Ult — The  previous  month. 

Underwriter — An  insurer,  or  one  who  underwrites  his  name  to  a 
policy. 

Usury — Excess  of  interest  over  the  legal  rate. 

Waiver — The  relinquishment,  or  waiving  of  any  right. 

The  Journal  and  Ledger. — If  it  is  desired  to  commence  a  more 
complicated  system  of  bookkeeping  than  is  included  in  running  a  Day 
Book  and  a  Cash  Book,  a  Journal  may  be  opened.  This  is  also  a 
simple  matter,  after  having  the  principles  firmly  fixed  in  mind  that 
expenses  and  outgoes  are  on  the  credit,  or  right-hand  side  of  the 
Ledger,  and  the  receipts  or  incomes  on  the  debit,  or  left-hand  side. 
This  writing  of  debits  and  credits  is  called  journalizing,  the  chief 
difficulty  being  in  the  ability  to  promptly  determine  to  what  accounts 
to  charge  the  separate  items. 

In  a  set  of  books  which  aims  to  be  really  complete,  the  Ledger  is 
the  most  important  of  all,  as  here  is  condensed  the  net  result  of  the 
business  transactions  as  well  as  a  summary  of  all  separate  accounts. 
It  is  in  the  Ledger  that  the  real  science  of  bookkeeping  is  demon- 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


479 


strated,  and  it  would,  therefore,  be  presumption  here  to  attempt  to 
go  into  details  as  to  how  it  should  be  jjroperly  conducted. 

It  is  from  the  face  of  the  Ledger  that  the  bookkeeper  takes  off  his 
trial  balance,  the  most  important  being  of  the  year,  and  woe  be  to 
him  if  he  has  allowed  a  mistake  to  creep  in.  Carelessness  in  the 
transfer  of  items  from  the  Day  Book  or  the  Journal  to  the  Ledger  may 
involve  the  expenditure  of  hours  of  labor  before  they  are  detected. 
As  a  safeguard  against  errors  the  taking  of  trial  balances  at  the  end  of 
each  month  is  customary,  where  the  business  is  large  and  compli¬ 
cated.  When  the  trial  balance  is  correct,  the  Ledger  is  said  to  be 
closed,  and  the  bookkeeper  breathes  a  great  sigh  of  temporary  relief. 

Accounts. — The  bookkeeping  world  divides  accounts  into  two 
classes,  known  as  Speculative  and  Non-speculative;  the  former  shows 
losses  and  gains,  such  as  Stock  and  Merchandise;  the  latter,  liabili¬ 
ties  and  resources,  such,  for  instance,  as  Bills  Receivable  and  Cash. 

Bills  Payable  Account. — When  one  issues  any  written  obligation, 
such  as  a  note,  the  amount  is  credited  to  this  account  and  when  he 
pays  it,  or  meets  it,  the  amount  is  debited. 

Bills  Receivable  Account. — When  one  receives  a  written  obliga¬ 
tion  from  another  he  debits  the  amount  to  this  account,  and  when 
transferred,  or  paid  by  the  original  holder,  it  is  credited. 

Capital,  or  Proprietor  Account. — This  account  shows  the  status  of 
the  business  toward  the  capital  invested,  or  the  proprietor.  Where 
there  is  more  than  one  partner  it  is  almost  necessary  to  open  it  at 
the  time  of  beginning  business.  The  liabilities  of  any  partner  are 
debited  and  his  resources  credited. 

If  he  withdraws  capital  such  amount  is  debited,  and  if  he  invests 
new  capital  it  is  credited. 

Commission  Account. — This  account  is  credited  with  the  receipts 
of  commission  from  the  merchant’s  customers;  if  he  should  hire  an 
agent,  or  other  merchant,  to  aid  him  in  selling  goods,  and  pay  the 
latter  a  part  of  his  own  commission  for  so  doing,  that  amount  would 
be  debited  to  the  account. 

Discount  and  Interest  Account. — When  one  pays  discount,  or 


180 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


interest,  for  money  borrowed  he  debits  the  amount  to  this  account, 
and  if  he  receives  discount,  or  interest,  from  another  he  credits  it. 

Expense  Account. — The  items  in  this  account  include  all  the 
running  expenses  of  a  business,  unless  any  one  class  should  prove  so 
large  as  to  warrant  a  subdivision.  The  merchant,  for  instance,  may 
buy  so  many  fixtures,  or  pay  out  so  much  for  rent  or  machinery,  that 
he  may  decide  to  open  a  separate  account  covering  those  expenses. 
In  that  case  he  only  includes  those  items  in  Expense  Account  which 
he  has  not  otherwise  classified.  Again,  he  may  travel  a  great  deal, 
or  be  obliged  to  make  many  personal  expenditures  in  various  ways, 
when  he  would,  if  a  methodical  business  man,  open  a  Personal  Expense 
Account. 

Loss  and  Gain  (Profit  and  Loss)  Account. — Of  course  the  differ¬ 
ence  between  the  credits  and  debits  of  this  account  determines  the 
loss  or  gain  of  the  business. 

Material  and  Labor  Account. — This  is  a  subdivision  of  the  Mer¬ 
chandise  Account  often  made  by  manufacturers,  the  charges  being 
for  raw  material  and  expenditures  of  labor  on  any  product. 

Real  Estate  Account. — When  a  business  is  greatly  expanding  this 
is  often  a  very  important  account,  involving  as  it  does,  on  the  debit 
side  of  the  ledger,  the  cost  of  real  estate,  with  expenditure  for  repairs 
and  taxes,  and  on  the  credit  side,  the  receipts  on  account  of  sales  and 
rents. 

Sales  Account. — Expenses  incurred  by  the  commission  merchant, 
or  agent,  in  handling  goods  are  debited  to  this  account  and  the  net 
proceeds  are  credited  to  it. 

Store  Fixtures  Account. — This  is  separate  from  the  Merchandise 
Account,  since  the  merchant  does  not  expect  to  profit  by  selling  the 
fixtures,  and  he  does  not  charge  them  to  Expense  Account  because 
they  possess  an  intrinsic  value. 

Business  and  Partnership  Agreements. — For  complete  self-protec¬ 
tion  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  every  business  agreement  be  in 
writing,  and  the  closer  the  friendship  the  more  important  is  the  pre¬ 
caution.  The  latter  may  seem  like  a  strange  statement,  and  yet  we  all 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


481 


know  that  we  are  all  loth  to  insist  upon  what  might  seem  like  trifles 
with  friends  in  matters  of  business,  when  if  we  had  taken  the  original 
precaution  to  have  all  points  stated  in  writing  there  would  be  little 
likelihood  of  a  misunderstanding. 

If  either  party  to  a  business  agreement  misrepresents  his  financial 
condition,  or  otherwise  makes  fraudulent  representations,  the  contract 
is  not  binding,  although  written,  and  attested  by  a  notary. 

If  there  are  two  parties  to  a  business  agreement,  the  paper  should 
be  prepared  in  duplicate  and  each  should  have  a  copy;  in  fact,  as 
many  copies  should  be  furnished  as  there  are  parties  to  it. 

Partnerships  may  be  formed,  in  which  the  parties  put  into  the 
business  equal  or  unequal  amounts  of  capital,  with  their  services;  or 
in  which  knowledge  and  experience  are  placed  as  an  offset  to  capital. 
In  some  cases  a  person  may  contribute  his  share  of  the  capital  and 
have  a  voice  in  its  management,  but  not  appear  as  a  member  of  the 
firm,  in  which  case  he  is  a  silent  partner;  on  the  other  hand  if  he 
takes  no  active  part  in  the  management,  but  contributes  to  the  capital 
and  shares  the  profits,  he  is  called  a  dormant  partner.  Each  partner, 
however,  whether  active,  silent  or  dormant,  is  liable  for  the  acts  or 
debts  of  all  the  others,  though  contracted  in  their  individual  capaci¬ 
ties. 

AIDS  IN  BUSINESS 

It  is  strange,  but  nevertheless  true,  that  many  business  men,  con¬ 
sidered  quite  capable,  are  ignorant  about  many  things  which  should 
be  common  knowledge.  There  is  no  country  in  the  world,  for  instance, 
which  approaches  the  United  States  in  the  magnitude  of  its  domestic 
mail  operations.  Yet  the  average  business  man,  who  is  using  the  mails 
continually,  is  quite  ignorant  about  the  rates  and  the  details  of  the 
postal  law  governing  the  mailing  of  the  different  classes  of  matter. 

General  Postal  Suggestions  to  the  Business  Man. — The  following 
instructions  and  suggestions  issued  by  the  Post-Office  Department 
should  be  carefully  followed  by  every  business  man  who  wishes  to 
have  his  mail  promptly  forwarded: 

31— L  S 


482 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


Mail  all  letters,  etc.,  as  early  as  possible,  especially  when  sent 
in  large  numbers,  as  is  frequently  the  case  with  newspapers  and 
circulars. 

All  mail  matter  at  large  post-offices  is  necessarily  handled  in  great 
haste  and  should  therefore  in  all  cases  be  so  plainly  addressed  as  to 
leave  no  room  for  doubt  and  no  excuse  for  error  on  the  part  of  postal 
employees.  Names  of  states  should  be  written  in  full  (or  their  abbre¬ 
viations  very  distinctly  written)  in  order  to  prevent  errors  which  arise 
from  the  similarity  of  such  abbreviations  as.  Cal.,  Col.;  Pa.,  Va.,  Vt.; 
Me.,  Mo.,  Md.;  la.,  Ind.;  N.  H.,  N.  Y.,  N.  J.,  N.  C.,  D.  C.;  Miss,, 
Minn.,  Mass.;  Nev.,  Neb.;  Penn.,  Tenn.,  etc.,  when  hastily  or  carelessly 
written.  This  is  especially  necessary  in  addressing  mail  matter  to  places 
of  which  the  names  are  borne  by  several  post-offices  in  different  States. 

Avoid  as  much  as  possible  using  envelopes  made  of  flimsy  paper, 
especially  where  more  than  one  sheet  of  paper,  or  any  other  article 
than  paper,  is  inclosed.  Being  often  handled,  and  even  in  the  mail 
bag  subject  to  pressure,  such  envelopes  not  infrequently  split  open, 
giving  cause  of  complaint. 

Never  send  money  or  any  other  article  of  value  through  the  mail 
except  either  by  means  of  a  money  order  or  in  a  registered  letter. 
Any  person  who  sends  money  or  jewelry  in  an  unregistered  letter  not 
only  runs  a  risk  of  losing  his  property,  but  exposes  to  temptation 
every  one  through  whose  hands  his  letter  passes,  and  may  be  the 
means  of  ultimately  bringing  some  clerk  or  letter-carrier  to  ruin. 

See  that  every  letter  or  package  bears  the  full  name  and  post- 
office  address  of  the  writer,  in  order  to  secure  the  return  of  the  letter, 
if  the  person  to  whom  it  is  directed  cannot  be  found.  A  much  larger 
portion  of  the  undelivered  letters  could  be  returned  if  the  names  and 
addresses  of  the  senders  were  always  fully  and  plainly  written  or 
printed  inside,  or  on  the  envelopes.  Persons  who  have  large  corre¬ 
spondence  find  it  most  convenient  to  use  “special  return  envelopes”; 
but  those  who  only  mail  an  occasional  letter  can  avoid  much  trouble 
by  writing  a  request  to  “return  if  not  delivered,”  etc.,  on  the  envelope. 

When  dropping  a  letter,  newspaper,  etc.,  into  a  street  mailing-box. 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


488 


or  into  the  receptacle  at  a  post-office,  always  see  that  the  packet  falls 
into  the  box  and  does  not  stick  in  its  passage;  observe,  also,  particu¬ 
larly,  whether  the  postage  stamps  remain  securely  in  their  places. 

Postage  stamps  should  be  placed  on  the  upper  right-hand  corner 
of  the  address  side  of  all  mail  matter. 

The  street  and  number  (or  box  number)  should  form  a  part  of  the 
address  of  all  mail  matter  directed  to  cities.  In  most  cities  there  are 
many  persons,  and  even  firms,  bearing  the  same  name. 

Before  depositing  any  package  or  other  article  for  mailing,  the 
sender  should  assure  himself  that  it  is  wrapped  and  packed  in  the 
manner  prescribed  by  postal  regulations;  that  it  does  not  contain  un¬ 
mailable  matter  nor  exceed  in  the  limit  of  size  and  weight,  as  fixed  by 
law;  and  that  it  is  fully  prepaid  and  properly  addressed. 

The  postage  stamps  on  all  mail  matter  are  necessarily  cancelled 
at  once,  and  the  value  of  those  affixed  to  packages  that  are  afterward 
discovered  to  be  short-paid,  or  otherwise  unmailable,  is  therefore  liable 
to  be  lost  to  the  senders. 

It  is  unlawful  to  send  an  ordinary  letter  by  express,  or  otherwise 
outside  of  the  mails,  unless  it  be  enclosed  in  a  government-stamped 
envelope.  It  is  also  unlawful  to  inclose  a  letter  in  an  express  package 
unless  it  pertains  wholly  to  the  contents  of  the  package. 

It  is  forbidden  by  the  regulations  of  the  Post-Office  Department 
for  postmasters  to  give  to  any  person  information  concerning  the  mail 
matter  of  another,  or  to  disclose  the  name  of  a  box-holder  at  a  post- 
office. 

Letters  addressed  to  persons  temporarily  sojourning  in  a  city 
where  the  Free  Delivery  System  is  in  operation  should  be  marked 
“Transient”  or  “General  Delivery,”  if  not  addressed  to  a  street  and 
number  or  some  other  designated  place  of  delivery. 

Foreign  books,  etc.,  infringing  United  States  copyright  are  unde¬ 
liverable  if  received  in  foreign  mails,  or  mailed  here. 

The  foregoing  rules  and  suggestions  apply  to  postal  matters  in  the 
United  States. 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


48  ^ 


Domestic  Rates  of  Postage  and  Money  Orders. — The  rates  and 
regulations  governing  domestic  postage  apply  to  the  United  States 
and  its  island  possessions  of  Guam,  Hawaii,  Porto  Rico,  Tutuila  and  the 
Philippines. 

First  Class. — Letters  and  all  written  matter,  whether  sealed  or 
unsealed,  and  all  matter  closed  against  inspection,  either  by  nailing, 
sewing,  wrapping  or  in  any  other  manner,  so  that  the  contents  cannot 
be  removed  from  the  wrapper  and  returned  thereto  without  mutilat¬ 
ing  either,  are  subject  to  first-class  rate  of  postage,  2  cents  per  ounce 
or  fraction  thereof. 

Special  Delivery. — Any  article  of  mailable  matter,  bearing  a  10- 
cent  special  delivery  stamp,  in  addition  to  the  lawful  postage,  is 
entitled  to  immediate  delivery  on  its  arrival  at  the  office  of  address 
between  the  hours  of  7  A.  M.  and  11  P.  M.,  if  the  office  be  of  free- 
delivery  class;  and  the  hours  between  7  A.  M.  and  7  P.  M.  if  the  office 
be  other  than  a  free-delivery  office.  To  entitle  such  a  letter  to  imme¬ 
diate  delivery,  the  residence  or  place  of  business  of  the  addressee  must 
be  within  the  carrier  limits  of  a  free-delivery  office  and  within  one 
mile  of  any  other  office. 

Second  Class. — On  all  regular  newspapers,  magazines  and  other 
periodicals  issued  at  stated  intervals  not  less  frequently  than  four  times 
a  year,  when  mailed  by  publishers,  the  postage  is  one  cent  for  each 
pound.  A  special  rate  of  one  cent  for  four  ounces  is  made  for  all 
second-class  matter  by  other  than  publishers  or  newsdealers. 

Third  Class  embraces  printed  books,  pamphlets,  circulars  engrav¬ 
ings,  lithographs,  proof-sheets  with  manuscript  accompanying  same, 
and  all  matter  of  the  same  general  character  of  personal  correspon¬ 
dence.  Circulars  produced  by  the  mimeograph,  hectograph,  electric 
pen  and  other  similar  processes  of  transfer  in  imitation  of  hand  or 
type-writing,  are  mailable  at  the  third-class  rate  of  postage  when  pre¬ 
sented  to  the  post-office  or  carrier  station  in  not  less  than  twenty  identi¬ 
cal  copies.  Rate  of  postage,  one  cent  for  each  two  ounces  or  fraction 
thereof. 

Fourth  Class. — All  mailable  matter,  like  merchandise,  not  included 


HOW  TO  CONDUCT  BUSINESS  AFFAIRS 


485 


in  the  three  preceding  classes,  which  is  so  prepared  for  mailing  as  to 
be  easily  taken  from  the  wrapper  and  examined.  Rate,  one  cent  per 
ounce  or  fraction  thereof,  except  seeds,  roots,  cuttings,  bulbs,  plants 
and  scions,  which  are  one  cent  per  two  ounces.  Limit  of  weight,  four 
pounds. 

Money  Order  Fees. — For  domestic  money  orders  in  denominations 
of  $100  or  less,  the  following  fees  are  charged: 


For  orders  for  sums  not  exceeding  $2.50  . 

.  .  3c 

For  over  $2.50  and  not  exceeding  $5  . 

.  .  5c 

For  over  $5  and  not  exceeding  $10 

.  .  8c 

For  over  $10  and  not  exceeding  $20 

.  10c 

For  over  $20  and  not  exceeding  $30 

.  12c 

For  over  $30  and  not  exceeding  $40 

.  15c 

For  over  $40  and  not  exceeding  $50 

.  18c 

For  over  $50  and  not  exceeding  $60 

.  .  20c 

For  over  $60  and  not  exceeding  $75 

.  .  25c 

For  over  $75  and  not  exceedii>g  $100  . 

.  30c 

EVERY  MAN  HIS  OWN  LAWYER 

OR 

How  to  Understand  Business  Rules 


All  men  in  any  kind  of  business,  trade,  or  profession,  follow  cer¬ 
tain  well  established  rules  or  laws  of  business.  If  they  do  not  observe 
these  laws,  they  are  quickly  put  out  of  business,  and  if  they  refuse, 
they  can  not  do  business  or  engage  in  any  trade  or  profession. 

The  careful  observance  of  these  laws  and  regulations  make  for 
success,  and  they  affect  every  one  without  distinction  of  person. 

If  a  man  does  not  know  the  law  it  is  his  fault,  and  he  can  not 
give  his  ignorance  as  an  excuse  for  not  complying  with  it. 

It  is  highly  important  to  know  just  where  you  stand  in  the  trans¬ 
actions  of  everyday  life,  and  the  principal  things  one  ought  to  know 
are  here  given: 

1.  A  man  who  conceals  a  fraud  is  as  guilty  as  the  man  who  com¬ 
mits  it. 

2.  No  person  can  be  compelled  to  do  impossibilities. 

3.  Where  two  men  agree  to  do  or  not  to  do  a  certain  thing  and 
there  is  no  consideration  in  money  or  other  valuable  thing  provided, 
the  agreement  is  of  no  effect — it  is  void. 

4.  You  may  sign  an  agreement  with  a  lead  pencil — it  is  good  in 

law. 

5.  A  receipt  for  money  or  other  valuable  thing  is  evidence  of  pay¬ 
ment,  but  it  is  not  conclusive,  that  is,  it  may  be  shown  that  the  receipt 
is  a  forgery,  was  obtained  by  force,  deceit,  fraud,  when  insane,  intoxi¬ 
cated,  or  any  other  reason  to  show  disability  may  be  given. 

6.  Where  persons  are  partners,  the  acts  of  one  will  bind  the  others. 

7.  A  contract  made  with  a  minor,  that  is,  a  woman  under  eighteen 

486 


EVERY  MAN  HIS  OWN  LAWYER 


487 


or  a  man  under  twenty-one  years  of  age,  is  not  binding  upon  him,  and 
can  not  be  enforced.  In  case  of  a  promissory  note  signed  by  him,  he 
may  set  up  against  its  payment  that  he  was  under  age,  or  a  minor  at 
the  time  he  signed.  But  a  minor  may  ratify  his  contracts  made  when 
under  age,  after  he  becomes  of  age,  but  he  can  not  be  compelled  to  do  so. 

8.  You  can  not  make  a  valid  contract  with  a  lunatic,  idiot  or  other 
person  without  understanding. 

9.  You  can  not  make  a  good  contract  on  Sunday,  but  you  can 
ratify  on  a  week  day  a  contract  made  on  Sunday,  dating  it  on  a  week 
day. 

10.  A  man  who  employs  another  as  his  agent,  is  liable  for  the  acts 
of  the  agent  if  performed  within  the  scope  of  his  authority.  Thus: 
the  owner  of  an  automobile  is  liable  for  an  injury  caused  by  his  chauf¬ 
feur.  But,  if  the  agent  or  employee  acts  on  his  own  responsibility  and 
outside  the  line  of  his  duty  or  business,  the  principal  can  not  be  held 
liable  for  injury. 

11.  Each  individual  in  a  partnership  is  liable  for  the  entire  amount 
of  the  firm  debts. 

12.  Where  a  promissory  note  does  not  specify  the  interest  or  any 
interest,  the  latter  does  not  begin  to  run  until  the  note  becomes  due. 

13.  A  verbal  lease  of  real  estate  is  good  only  for  one  year.  Where 
made  for  more  than  one  year  such  lease  is  void  unless  in  writing. 

14.  If  a  man  indorses  a  promissory  note,  he  is  exempt  from  liabil¬ 
ity  if  notice  of  its  non-payment  is  not  mailed  or  served  on  him  within 
twenty-four  hours  of  such  non-payment. 

15.  A  note  obtained  by  fraud,  gambling,  or  from  an  intoxicated  or 
other  disabled  person  can  not  be  collected. 

16.  Where  the  time  of  payment  of  a  promissory  note  is  not  men¬ 
tioned  in  the  note,  it  is  payable  on  demand,  that  is,  immediately,  if  the 
owner  desires  to  collect  it. 

17.  If  a  man  desires  to  avoid  liability  as  the  indorser  of  a  note, 
he  must  write  the  words  “without  recourse”  under  his  signature. 

18.  A  check  indorsed  by  the  payee,  that  is  the  person  to  whom  it 


488 


EVERY  HAN  HIS  OWN  LAWYER 


is  made  payable,  is  evidence  of  payment  in  the  hands  of  the  person 
who  drew  the  check — the  drawer. 

19.  Where  a  debt  is  outlawed,  that  it  has  passed  beyond  the  Stat¬ 
ute  of  Limitations,  it  may  be  revived  by  making  a  partial  payment 
after  the  date  of  outlaw. 

20.  If  a  promissory  note  is  given  without  any  consideration,  the 
lack  of  consideration  may  be  set  up  against  its  payment  by  the  maker 
against  the  person  to  whom  made  payable.  But  where  a  person  ignor¬ 
ant  of  the  want  of  consideration  buys  it  for  value,  he  can  collect  of  the 
maker. 

21.  A  lost  or  stolen  promissory  note  payable  to  bearer  or  indorsed 
in  blank,  can  not  be  collected  by  the  finder  or  thief. 

22.  The  holder  of  a  lost  or  stolen  promissory  note,  who  receives  it 
in  good  faith  for  value  before  it  is  due,  can  hold  it  and  collect  from  the 
owner  against  his  claims  existing  at  the  time  it  was  lost. 

23.  If  a  promissory  note  is  pledged  to  a  bank  as  security  for  the 
payment  of  a  loan  or  debt,  the  bank  is  liable  to  the  owner  of  the  note 
for  its  full  amount,  if  it  fails  to  demand  payment  when  due  and  have 
it  protested  if  payment  be  refused. 

24.  The  intent  of  the  parties  to  a  contract  governs  its  interpreta¬ 
tion. 

25.  You  can  not  back  out  of  a  proposition  made  in  writing  and 
sent  by  mail,  after  the  other  party  has  mailed  an  unconditional  accept¬ 
ance. 

26.  The  conditional  acceptance  of  a  proposition  is  not  binding  on 
the  party  making  the  proposition. 

27.  Every  contract  is  governed  by  the  law  of  the  place  where  the 
contract  is  made. 

28.  Before  a  man  signs  a  contract,  he  must  carefully  look  it  over 
and  see  that  all  its  provisions  are  fixed  and  certain,  and  have  not  been 
altered.  In  plain  language:  Do  not  sign  any  contract  until  you  know 
exactly  what  it  contains  and  expresses.  You  can  not  defend  against 
any  contract  by  saying,  “I  did  not  know  what  it  contained.’’  This  is 
true  even  if  you  can  not  read. 


EVEEY  MAN  HIS  OWN  LAWYER 


489 


29.  If  you  permit  your  name  to  be  used  as  a  partner  in  a  firm 
although  you  have  no  interest  in  the  business,  you  will  be  responsible 
for  the  debts  of  the  firm. 

30.  The  death  of  a  partner  dissolves  the  partnership  unless  it 
expressly  stipulated  in  writing  that  the  representative  of  the  deceased 
partner  may  continue  the  business  with  the  survivor  for  the  benefit  of 
the  widow  and  children. 

31.  A  partner  may  be  called  upon  to  make  good  partnership  debts 
with  his  individual  property.  In  this  connection,  never  forget  that 
each  partner  may  be  held  for  the  acts  of  the  other  partners  as  well  as 
for  his  own. 

32.  You  can  not  do  through  another  what  would  be  illegal  for  you 
to  do  yourself.  But  you  make  an  illegal  act  of  your  agent  your  own 
by  accepting  the  benefit  arising  out  of  it. 

33.  If  you  go  beyond  your  authority  as  an  agent  in  any  business, 
you  make  yourself  personally  responsible. 

34.  A  real  estate  lease  for  over  three  years  must  be  recorded. 

35.  If  you  occupy  a  man’s  real  estate  without  a  lease  for  a  speci¬ 
fied  time,  you  are  a  tenant  at  will,  entitled  to  one  month’s  notice  in 
writing  before  you  can  be  removed  from  the  premises. 

36.  A  tenant  is  not  responsible  for  taxes  unless  it  is  so  stated  in 
the  lease. 

37.  A  tenant  for  a  specified  term  may  underlet  the  property  unless 
the  lease  forbids  it.  Tenants  at  will  can  not  underlet  any  part  of  the 
property. 

38.  A  husband  can  not  make  a  lease  which  will  bind  his  wife’s 
property  after  his  death. 

39.  A  lease  made  by  a  minor  is  not  binding  after  such  minor  has 
attained  his  majority,  but  the  lessee  is  bound  nevertheless.  Should  the 
minor  receive  rent  after  attaining  his  majority,  it  will  be  a  ratification 
of  the  lease. 

40.  A  new  lease  renders  a  former  lease  void  and  of  no  effect. 

41.  Where  a  mortgage  on  the  property  is  given  prior  to  the  date 
of  the  lease,  the  latter  ceases  when  the  mortgage  is  foreclosed.  Other- 


490 


EVERY  MAN  HIS  OWN  LAWYER 


wise  if  the  lease  is  dated  before  the  mortgage,  for  in  that  case  the  lease 
is  not  subject  to  the  mortgage. 

42.  When  a  tenant  assigns  his  lease  even  with  the  landlord’s  con¬ 
sent,  he  will  continue  liable  for  the  rent  unless  the  lease  is  surrendered 
and  cancelled. 

43.  If  you  put  fixed  improvements  upon  the  leased  property,  you 
can  not  remove  them  after  the  lease  has  expired.  Trade  fixtures,  such 
as  a  saloon  bar,  trees  and  shrubs  belonging  to  a  gardener  or  nursery¬ 
man  may  be  removed  as  not  fixtures  made  immovable  and  part  of  the 
realty, 

44.  A  farmer  owns  to  the  middle  of  a  road  on  which  his  land  bor¬ 
ders  unless  his  deed  to  the  land  expresses  the  contrary.  But  his  owner¬ 
ship  in  the  road  is  subject  to  the  right  of  the  public  to  the  use  of  it 
as  a  road. 

45.  If  a  tree  grows  over  the  land  of  another  adjoining  owner,  the 
latter  may  cut  away  the  branches  hanging  over  his  land.  But  if  the 
branches  are  bearing  fruit  he  can  not  have  the  fruit  that  falls  to  the 
ground.  The  owner  of  the  tree  may  enter  peaceably  upon  the  adjoin¬ 
ing  land  and  remove  the  branches  and  the  fruit. 

46.  If  a  man ’s  land  is  entirely  surrounded  by  the  land  of  another, 
the  latter  may  be  compelled  to  give  the  former  a  road  or  way  out. 
This  is  called  “A  way  of  necessity.” 

47.  Where  a  person  performs  labor  on  a  thing  or  articles  put  in  his 
possession — to  make  repairs  for  instance — he  is  called  a  bailee,  and 
may  hold  the  thing  or  article  until  his  charges  are  paid.  That  is  he 
holds  the  thing  by  virtue  of  a  lien  as  security  for  his  services. 

48.  An  innkeeper,  that  is,  one  who  keeps  an  inn,  tavern,  or  hotel, 
has  a  lien  on  the  baggage  of  his  guests  for  his  charges.  But  he  is  re¬ 
sponsible  for  the  safe  custody  of  the  goods  of  his  guests. 

49.  A  boarding  house  is  not  an  inn,  neither  is  a  cafe,  eating  house 
or  lunch  club,  and  they  have  no  lien  on  the  goods  of  a  boarder,  neither 
are  they  responsible  for  their  safe  custody,  but  are  liable  for  the  negli¬ 
gence  of  servants. 

50.  Common  carriers,  that  is  railroads,  express  companies^  stage 


EVERY  MAN  HIS  OWN  LAWYER 


491 


companies,  wagoners,  etc.,  have  a  lien  on  the  goods  carried  by  them  for 
their  charges  and  disbursements. 

51.  The  seller  of  goods — the  vendor — has  a  lien  on  goods  sold  for 
payment  of  the  price,  where  no  credit  has  been  given. 

52.  Agents  have  a  lien  on  the  goods  of  their  principals  for  money 
advanced  for  the  benefit  of  the  latter. 

53.  It  is  a  general  rule  that  all  persons  have  a  lien  on  goods  which 
they  are  compelled  to  receive  and  upon  which  they  bestow  labor  or 
expense.  As  soon  as  possession  is  surrendered,  however,  the  lien  is  lost. 

54.  A  chattel  mortgage  on  your  personal  property  must  be  re¬ 
corded.  If  not,  the  property  can  be  seized  on  attachment  or  levied  on 
to  satisfy  a  judgment  against  you  just  the  same  as  if  you  had  not  given 
a  chattel  mortgage. 

55.  A  chattel  mortgage  covers  only  property  owned  at  the  time 
the  mortgage  is  given.  It  does  not  cover  any  property  obtained  after 
the  date  of  the  mortgage. 

56.  A  chattel  mortgage  given  to  defraud  creditors  is  void. 

57.  A  chattel  mortgage  given  to  secure  a  fictitious  debt  is  not 
good.  If  you  keep  a  hotel  you  are  bound  to  receive  travelers,  and  if 
you  refuse  you  may  be  compelled  to  pay  damages. 

58.  If  you  sell  goods  or  property  you  must  give  the  purchaser 
possession,  or  your  creditors  can  take  it  to  satisfy  your  debt. 

59.  Every  description  of  property  may  be  given  by  will. 

60.  Any  person  not  disqualified  by  age  or  mental  incapacity  can 
make  a  valid  will. 

61.  Property  may  be  willed  to  persons  who  can  not  make  a  will  at 
all. 

62.  Marriages  may  be  entered  into  by  any  man  or  woman  except 
the  following  persons:  Idiots,  lunatics,  persons  related  by  blood,  as 
cousins,  infants  under  the  age  of  consent,  eighteen  in  a  woman  and 
twenty-one  in  a  man,  according  to  the  law  of  the  State  where  the  mar¬ 
riage  is  contracted,  and  all  persons  already  married  and  not  divorced. 

63.  All  the  property  owned  by  a  woman  before  her  marriage  is 
her  own  separate  property,  can  not  be  interfered  with  by  her  husband. 


492 


EVEEY  MAN  HIS  OWN  LAWYEB 


and  is  not  liable  for  his  debts,  and  she  may  dispose  of  it  the  same  as  if 
she  were  not  married. 

64.  The  finder  of  lost  property  has  a  clear  title  to  it  against  all 
persons  except  the  owner. 

65.  If  you  find  anything  in  a  hotel  the  landlord  can  not  claim  it 
unless  you  are  in  his  employ,  in  which  case  you  are  his  agent. 

66.  A  person  is  of  full  age  the  day  before  the  twenty-first  anniver¬ 
sary  of  his  birthday;  or  the  day  before  the  eighteenth  anniversary  of  a 


woman. 


THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION  AND 

ORATORY 


How  to  Speak  in  Public  Meetings— Readings  and 
Recitations  for  Home  Entertainment 


By  MARVIN  VICTOR  HINSHAW 
Of  the  Hinshaw  School  of  Elocution,  Oratory  and  Music 


The  art  of  elocution  and  oratory  is  not,  as  many  erroneously  sup¬ 
pose,  an  artificial  combination  of  tones,  looks  and  gestures,  but  is  the 
scientific  portrayal  of  thoughts  and  emotions  by  means  of  vocal  and 
physical  expression.  A  knowledge  of  a  few  fundamental  rules  and 
principles  which  govern  these  methods  of  expression  will  equip  the 
elocutionist  or  orator  to  appear  to  advantage  before  an  audience.  The 
measure  of  success  to  be  obtained  afterward  will  depend  upon  the 
speaker’s  capacity  to  think  the  thoughts  and  feel  the  emotions  to  be 
expressed. 

Naturalness,  ease  and  grace  are  essential  to  success  in  public  speak¬ 
ing.  The  easiest  and  most  graceful  position  is  to  stand  erect,  not 
stiffly,  but  naturally,  with  one  foot  slightly  in  advance  of  the  other  and 
the  weight  of  the  body  on  the  back  foot.  Then  speak  clearly  and  dis¬ 
tinctly;  do  not  hurry  your  enunciation  of  words,  but  speak  every  sylla¬ 
ble  plainly,  sounding  all  of  the  consonants  at  the  end  of  the  words,  but 
sustaining  only  the  vowels. 

While  speaking,  support  the  tone  entirely  by  the  breath;  do  not 
use  the  muscles  of  the  throat  for  this  purpose.  Speak  from  the  dia¬ 
phragm,  in  other  words  let  the  tones  come  from  the  chest  and  not  from 
the  throat,  otherwise  the  voice  will  not  carry,  and  the  audience  will 
hear  only  a  confusion  of  gutteral  sounds.  The  power  which  propels  the 
breath  is  in  the  diaphragm  and  walls  of  the  chest,  therefore  diaphragm¬ 
atic  breathing  is  always  correct,  and  not  abdominal  breathing  as  many 

493 


494 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATOEY 


suppose.  Speak  with  forceful  and  compact  breath,  and  never  breathe 
in  the  middle  of  the  phrase, — but  only  between  phrases — all  pauses 
which  occur  during  the  continuance  of  a  phrase  must  be  made  without 
renewing  the  breath  in  order  to  be  effective. 

Correct  phrasing  can  be  acquired  by  always  speaking  in  phrases, 
and  not  by  the  live  or  semi-phrase. 

While  it  is  essential  to  correct  speaking  that  there  should  be  no 
huriy,  it  is  quite  as  important  that  the  delivery  should  not  be  pro¬ 
longed,  but  that  each  phrase  and  sentence  should  be  spoken  with  regu¬ 
larity. 

Aside  from  the  regular  pauses  indicted  by  punctuation,  the  speaker 
should  always  make  such  pauses  as  will  strengthen  the  meaning  of  the 
words.  A  word  can  frequently  be  emphasized  to  a  greater  degree  by  a 
momentary  pause  than  it  can  by  any  stress  of  voice. 

Although  correct  gesture  is  one  of  the  greatest  aids  of  expression, 
too  many  gestures  will  spoil  the  effect  of  what  would  otherwise  be  a 
most  successful  effort.  Therefore,  I  advise  the  use  of  few  gestures  and 
only  such  as  will  tend  to  emphasize  what  is  said. 

The  rules  for  speaking  apply  with  the  same  force  and  exactness  to 
reading,  for  reading  should  be  a  perfect  facsimile  of  speaking. 

In  speaking,  reading,  or  portraying  a  character  in  a  dialogue  or 
play  speak  with  the  face  as  well  as  the  voice.  Exercise  the  facial 
muscles  and  the  practice  until  you  can  control  them,  for  the  emotions 
of  Anger,  Love,  Grief,  Fear,  Surprise,  Hate,  etc.,  should  be  mirrored  in 
the  face  as  well  as  conveyed  by  the  voice. 

Every  part  of  the  body  can  be  made  to  aid  expression — the  arms, 
the  hands,  the  eyes,  the  legs,  the  feet,  the  head — there  is  use  for  them 
all,  particularly  in  portraying  characters  in  dialogues  and  plays,  where 
there  is  wider  range  of  expression  than  in  a  single  recitation. 

But  whether  the  character  to  be  portrayed,  whether  in  recitation, 
dialogue  or  play,  the  speaker  should  always  speak  in  a  voice  natural 
to  such  a  character,  and  for  the  time  being  imagine  himself  or  herself 
that  particular  individual. 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


495 


EXERCISES  FOR  THE  BODY 

1.  With  body  erect  and  hands  at  sides,  move  the  head  to  right 
and  left,  and  forward  and  backward;  cultivates  the  muscles  of  the  neck. 

2.  With  hands  on  the  hips,  move  the  upper  part  of  the  body  to 
right  and  left,  and  forward  and  backward;  this  cultivates  the  muscles 
of  the  chest  and  back. 

3.  Close  the  hands,  extend  the  arms  in  front,  and  bring  the  hands 
together  behind  the  back;  repeat  at  least  twenty  times. 

4.  Stand  erect,  with  arms  straight  at  the  sides;  move  the  arms 
outward  from  the  sides,  and  elevate  them,  bringing  the  hands  above 
the  head;  repeat  at  least  twenty  times. 

5.  Hold  the  right  arm  out  horizontally,  palm  of  hand  upward; 
double  the  left  arm,  the  tips  of  the  fingers  resting  on  the  shoulder; 
then  stretch  out  the  left  arm,  at  the  same  time  doubling  the  right  arm 
and  placing  the  tips  of  the  fingers  on  the  right  shoulder;  repeat,  and 
then  make  the  movements  with  both  arms  simultaneously. 

6.  Holding  the  arms  straight,  swing  them  with  a  rotary  motion, 
thrusting  them  forward  as  they  are  elevated  and  backward  as  they  are 
lowered,  bringing  them  to  the  sides,  and  then  repeat. 

7.  Lift  the  hands  from  the  sides  to  the  shoulders,  then  raise  the 
arms  at  full  length  above  the  head,  and  also  extend  them  horizontally, 
dropping  them  at  the  sides;  repeat. 

8.  Standing  erect,  with  the  hands  on  the  hips,  lower  the  body, 
bending  the  knees,  the  weight  resting  on  the  toes,  and  rise;  repeat  at 
least  fifteen  times,  but  not  too  fast. 

9.  Placing  the  hands  on  the  hips,  right  leg  forward  and  left  leg 
slightly  bent;  thrust  the  body  forward,  thus  straightening  the  left 
leg  and  bending  the  right;  then  placing  the  left  leg  forward,  repeat 
movements. 

10.  With  the  body  bent  forward,  closed  hands  between  the  knees, 
raise  the  body  and  elevate  the  hands  above  the  head,  taking  care  to 
keep  the  arms  straight;  repeat. 


496 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


11.  Place  the  hands  on  the  front  side  of  the  hips,  bend  the  body 
forward,  and  then  rise  to  an  erect  position,  at  the  same  time  throwing 
the  head  backward;  repeat. 

12.  Steady  yourself  with  one  hand  on  a  chair;  place  the  other 
hand  on  the  hip  and  swing  the  leg  forward  across  the  other;  then  back¬ 
ward;  repeat  and  then  swing  the  other  leg  in  like  manner. 

13.  Steady  yourself  with  one  hand  on  a  chair,  place  the  other 
hand  on  the  hip,  and  swing  the  leg  forward  and  backward;  repeat,  and 
then  swing  the  other  leg  in  like  manner. 

14.  Stretch  the  body  forward,  placing  the  hands  on  the  bottom  of 
a  chair;  then  straighten  the  arms  and  raise  the  body.  This  must  not. 
be  repeated  so  many  tim^s  as  to  render  the  muscles  sore  and  stiff. 

15.  Extend  the  arms  forward  at  full  length,  palms  downward; 
then  move  the  hands  backward  and  forward  as  far  as  possible;  this 
renders  the  fingers  and  muscles  of  the  wrist  pliant. 

16.  Stand  erect  with  hands  on  the  hips  and  light  weight  on  the 
head;  then  rise  on  the  toes  and  fall. 

17.  Extend  the  arms  slightly  from  the  sides,  close  the  hands  and 
then  rotate  them;  this  cultivates  the  muscles  of  the  arms. 

THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION 

Elocution  is  the  art  of  reading  and  speaking  correctly.  Its  rules 
relate  chiefly  to  the  management  of  the  voice  in  the  expression  of 
thought  and  emotion. 

The  vocal  qualifications,  necessary  to  enable  the  reader  or  speaker 
to  bring  out  the  sense  and  sentiment  of  discourse  in  a  pleasing  and 
impressive  manner,  are : 

First,  a  clear,  full,  resonant  voice. 

Second,  a  perfectly  distinct  and  correct  articulation. 

Third,  such  a  control  of  the  voice,  as  to  be  able  to  vary  its  modu¬ 
lations  at  pleasure. 

Ignorance  of  the  right  way  of  using  the  lungs  and  the  larynx,  in 
speaking,  reading,  singing,  has  caused  more  cases  of  bronchitis  and 


THE  AHT  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


497 


pulmonary  consumption  among  students,  vocalists,  clergymen  and 
other  public  speakers,  than  all  other  causes  combined. 

The  right  use  of  the  breathing  apparatus,  in  connection  with  the 
exercise  of  the  voice,  ought,  therefore,  to  be  the  first  subject  to  which 
the  attention  of  the  student  of  elocution  is  called.  Before  the  pupil  is 
permitted  to  read  a  sentence,  he  must  be  taught,  not  by  precept,  but  by 
example,  how  to  manage  the  breath  while  exercising  the  voice. 

The  person  thus  trained  will  speak,  read  or  sing,  in  a  clear,  full, 
natural  tone,  and  will  grow  up,  in  a  great  measure,  free  from  the 
worst  faults  and  defects  in  elocution. 

BREATHING  EXERCISE 

Stand  or  sit  erect;  keep  the  head  up  and  the  chest  expanded;  throw 
the  shoulders  well  back;  place  the  hands  upon  the  hips,  with  the  fin¬ 
gers  pressing  upon  the  abdomen,  and  the  thumbs  extending  backward; 
inhale  the  breath  slowly,  until  the  lungs  are  fully  inflated,  retaining 
the  breath  for  a  few  moments,  then  breathing  it  out  as  slowly  as  it 
was  taken  in. 

Let  the  chest  rise  and  fall  freely  at  every  inspiration,  and  take 
care  not  to  make  the  slightest  aspirate  sound,  in  taking  or  giving  out 
the  breath. 

Continue  to  take  in  and  throw  out  the  breath  with  increasing 
rapidity,  until  you  can  instantly  inflate,  and,  as  suddenly,  empty  the 
lungs.  Repeat  this  exercise  several  times  a  day,  and  continue  it  as 
long  as  it  is  unattended  with  dizziness  or  other  unpleasant  feelings. 

EXPRESSION 

Expression  includes  the  rules  and  exercise  which  relate  to  the 
management  of  the  voice,  the  look,  gesture  and  action,  in  the  expres¬ 
sion,  thought,  sentiment  and  passion. 

Exercises  in  articulation  should  be  practiced  until  a  good  control 
of  the  voice  has  been  obtained. 

A  good  articulation  consists  in  giving  to  each  element  in  a  syllable 
its  due  proportion  of  sound  and  correct  expression,  so  that  the  ear  can 
readily  distinguish  each  word,  and  every  syllable  that  is  uttered. 

32—1,  S 


498 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


A  full  pure  tone  of  voice,  and  a  good  articulation,  constitute  the 
basis  of  every  other  excellence  in  reading 'and  oratory. 

TESTING  THE  VOICE 

To  obtain  a  full,  deep,  rich  tone,  the  student  must  resort  to  every 
conceivable  expedient  for  modifying  the  voice.  Whenever  he  utters  a 
sound  that  is  very  pleasing  to  the  ear,  or  that  impresses  his  mind  as 
being  very  striking  or  significant,  he  should  repeat  it,  until  he  can 
command  it  without  difficulty  at  his  pleasure. 

The  most  significant,  impressive  and  pleasing  tones  of  the  voice 
can  not  be  taught,  or  even  described;  the  pupil,  if  he  ever  learns  them, 
must  find  them  out  for  himself,  by  careful,  persevering  practice.  In 
short,  he  must  try  every  plan,  and  resort  to  every  appliance  that  he 
can  command,  in  his  endeavors  to  perfect  himself  in  the  art  of  reading 
and  speaking  with  ease,  elegance  and  impressive  effect. 

STYLES  OF  ELOCUTION 

One  of  the  most  important  matters  to  be  considered  before  en¬ 
gaging  in  a  reading  or  declamatory  exercise,  is  the  style  or  manner  in 
which  the  piece  should  be  given. 

In  Argument,  the  style  must  be  characterized  by  directness  and 
earnestness. 

In  Description,  the  speaker  must  proceed  in  precisely  the  same 
manner  that  he  would  if  he  were  actually  describing  the  thing  spoken 
of. 

In  Narration,  he  must  proceed  as  if  narrating  some  part  of  his 
own  experience. 

In  Persuasion,  he  must  use  those  tones,  looks  and  gestures  only, 
which  he  knows  are  appropriate  to  persuasion. 

In  Exhortation,  he  must  appeal,  beseech  and  implore,  as  the  case 
may  require. 

In  pieces  of  a  mixed  character,  he  must  vary  the  style  to  suit  the 
sentiment  and  character  of  the  passage. 

When  the  reader  understands  the  principles  and  rules  which  have 


THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


499 


been  discussed,  sufficiently  well  to  be  able  to  give  a  correct,  practical 
exemplification  of  each  of  them,  he  ought  to  select  passages  for  him¬ 
self,  suitable  as  exercises  in  cadence,  pause,  parenthesis,  antithesis, 
climax,  amplification,  repetition  and  transition;  also  in  pitch,  force, 
stress,  movement,  quantity,  in  personation,  in  style,  and  in  every  rule 
in  modulation  and  expression. 

He  must  especially  practice  in  every  kind  of  stress,  and  with  every 
degree  of  force,  from  the  most  subdued  whisper  to  the  shout  of  en¬ 
thusiastic  exultation. 

GENERAL  RULES  FOR  THE  CULTIVATION  OF  THE  VOICE 

The  only  basis  upon  which  a  full,  firm,  pure  tone  of  voice  can  be 
formed,  is  deep  and  copious  breathing.  To  do  this  the  chest  must  be 
well  thrown  out,  the  head  erect,  and  the  throat  and  mouth  opened  so 
wide  that  the  voice  will  meet  with  no  obstruction  in  its  course. 

The  great  object  in  commencing  any  systematic  course  of  vocal 
culture,  ought  to  be  to  deepen  and  strengthen  the  voice.  To  accom¬ 
plish  this,  the  student  must,  in  his  vocal  exercises,  stretch  the  muscles 
about  the  throat  and  the  root  of  the  tongue,  and  those  that  regulate 
the  action  of  the  lower  jaw,  so  as  to  form  the  voice  lower  down  in  the 
throat  than  he  is  in  the  habit  of  doing. 

COMPASS  OF  THE  VOICE 

To  increase  the  compass  of  the  voice,  declaim  short  pasages  which 
require  intense  force  on  a  high  pitch.  The  pupil  will  discover,  after 
the  voice  has  been  thus  taxed  to  its  highest  capabilities,  that  it  will 
perform  its  office  with  surprisingly  greater  facility  and  ease  on  the 
natural  key,  and  in  a  lower  pitch  than  he  could  reach  before. 

The  most  contracted  and  superficial  voice  may  soon  be  made 
strong  and  flexible  by  this  kind  of  exercise;  and  it  cannot  be  improved 
in  any  other  way.  If  your  voice  is  feeble,  practice  singing,  shouting 
and  declaiming  with  the  utmost  force,  at  the  top  of  the  voice,  when¬ 
ever  opportunity  presents  itself,  and  it  will  soon  acquire  sufficient 
strength  and  resonance. 


500 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


TOLD  IN  DIALECT 

In  this  department  are  included  the  most  humorous  and  comic  selections  in  German,  Irish, 
Yankee,  Western  and  Southern  dialects,  all  by  famous  authors. 

HOW  DID  DIS  YERE  WORLD  GIT  YERE? 

An  address  by  the  Hon.  Scalpilusas  Johnson,  the  “Black  Magnet  of  Tennessee.” 


“My  frens,  is  dar’  one  among  you  who  ever  stopped  to  think  dat 
dis  world  was  not  alius  yere?  Probably  not.  You  hev  gone  fussin’ 
around  without  thought  or  care  whether  dis  globe  on  which  we  hev 
the  honor  to  reside  is  one  thousand  or  one  millyun  y’ars  old.  Did  you 
eber  sot  down  on  de  back  steps  in  de  twilight  an’  ax  yerself  how  dis 
world  cum  to  be  yere  anyhow!  How  was  it  made!  How  long  did  it 
take!  How  did  de  inakin’  begin!  No;  none  of  ye  hev.  Ye  hev  put 
in  yer  time  shootin’  craps,  playin’  policy,  spottin’  off  hen  houses  an’ 
sleepin’  in  de  shade,  an’  ye  ar’  a  pack  of  pore,  ignorant  critters  in 
consekence. 

‘  ‘  My  frens,  ’  ’  continued  the  speaker,  ‘  ‘  what  occupied  dis  yere  space 
befo’  de  world  took  its  place!  Some  of  you  no  doubt  believe  it  was  a 
vast  body  of  water — a  great  ocean  full  of  whales.  Others  hev  argued 
dat  it  was  one  vast  plain,  whar’  persimmons  an’  watermelons  grew  de 
hull  y’ar  round.  (Yum!  yum!)  You  is  all  mistaken.  It  was  simply 
goneness — emptiness — nufifinness — space.  It  was  de  same  emptiness 
dat  you  see  wdien  you  look  skyward.  De  space  at  present  occupied  by 
dis  world  could  hev  once  bin  bought  fur  an  old  dun-cull ’d  mewl  wid 
his  teef  gone,  an’  it  would  hev  bin  a  dear  bargain  at  dat.  De  reason  it 
wasn’t  sold  was  bekase  dar’  was  nobody  yere  to  buy  it — nobody  to  git 
up  a  boom. 

“How  did  dis  world  git  a  start!  Some  of  you  may  hev  wondered 
about  it,  but  it  is  mo’  likely  dat  you  has  dun  let  it  go,  an’  paid  no 
tenshun  to  de  matter.  In  de  fust  place  de  Lawd  had  to  find  de  space. 
You  can’t  build  a  cabin  till  you  git  de  space  to  build  on.  Dar  had  to 
be  a  space  to  put  de  world  in.  De  atmosphere  had  to  be  shoved  aside 


THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


501 


to  make  a  big  hole,  an’  when  de  hole  was  dar  de  world  commenced  to 
make.  You  hev  red  dat  eberything  was  created  in  six  days.  Mighty 
long  days  dose  were.  I  has  figgered  on  it  a  good  many  times,  an’  I’ze 
tellin’  ye  dat  it  took  thousands  of  y’ars.  Dar  was  a  powerful  lot  o’ 
periods  to  go  frew  wid  befo’  things  come  out  ship-shape. 

‘‘Dar  was  de  chaotic  period — a  time  when  eberything  was  wrong 
side  up  an’  inside  out.  Flames  was  a-rollin’,  de  oceans  a-lieavin’, 
mountains  risin’  up  to  sink  away  again,  an’  dar  was  no  tellin’  who 
would  cum  out  on  top.  Dat  period  lasted  fur  10,000  y’ars,  an’  it  was  a 
good  thing  dat  we  wasn’t  around. 

“De  nex’  period  was  de  passle  period — a  time  when  eberything 
was  passled  out  accordin’  to  common  sense.  De  oceans  war  giben 
boundaries — de  ribers  war  giben  beds — de  mountains  war  distributed 
around  to  give  moas’  eberybody  some  side  hill,  an’  dar  was  a  gineral 
pickin’  ober  and  sortin’  out  to  make  a  good  appearance.  Dis  period 
lasted  about  10,000  y’ars,  an’  you  didn’t  lose  miffin’  by  bein’  out  of 
town.  De  nex’  period  is  known  as  de  coolin’  off  period.  Eberything 
had  bin  red  hot  fur  20,000  y’ars,  an’  it  took  a  heap  o’  time  before  dey 
got  cool  ’nuff  to  handle.  When  dey  did  we  had  a  surface  composed 
of  water  an’  sich.  Fur  thousands  of  y’ars  dar  wasn’t  nuff  sile  fur  a 
grasshopper  to  scratch  in,  nor  ’nuff  grass  fur  to  make  a  green  streak 
on  a  pair  o’  white  pants. 

“My  frens,  dar  war  odder  periods — de  ice  period,  de  drift  period, 
de  dirt  period,  de  grass  period — and  finally  all  was  ready  an’  waitin’ 
fur  de  man  period.  De  world  had  bin  created  an’  was  all  right.  Birds 
were  flyin’  around,  chickens  roosted  so  low  dat  you  could  reach  up  an’ 
pick  ’em,  an’  de  hoss  an’  ox  an’  cow  stood  waitin’  to  be  milked.  It 
was  a  beautiful  scene.  I  kin  shut  my  eyes  an  ’  see  it.  If  you  could  hev 
bin  right  dar  at  dat  time  you  would  hev  busted  yourselves  on  ’possum 
an’  yams,  de  fattest  kind  o’  pullets — de  biggest  sart  o’  ’possums — de 
heaviest  yams  an’  de  moas’  gigantic  watermelons — all  right  dar  beg- 
gin’  of  you  to  eat  ’em  up  widout  costin’  a  cent. 

“Den  man  an’  woman  war  created,  an’  things  has  gone  along  bang- 
up  eber  since.  I  has  bin  pained  an’  grieved  to  h’ar  dat  sartin’  cull’d 


502 


THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


men  hev  contended  dat  de  black  man  was  bo  ’n  fust.  In  fact  dat  Adam 
was  jist  about  my  size  an’  complexun.  Gem ’In,  doan’  you  believe  it. 
It  bain’t  so.  If  it  was  so  we’d  be  walkin’  into  barber  shops  kept  by 
white  men  an’  layin’  ourselves  back  fur  a  shave.  We  wouldn’t  hev  dis 
fuzzy  h’ar.  We  wouldn’t  be  so  liberal  in  de  size  of  de  fut  an’  de  length 
of  de  heel.  We  could  pass  a  smoked  ham  bangin’  in  front  of  a  grocery 
in  de  night  widout  stoppin’  to  look  if  de  grocer  war  in. 

“My  frens,  wid  dese  few  homogenous  disqualifications  I  bid  you 
good-night,  as  de  hour  has  grown  late,  an’  I  believe  I  has  satisfied  you 
on  de  soundness  of  my  theory.  Think  of  these  things  fur  yourselves. 
Animadvert  on  de  diaphragm  doorin’  your  hours  of  leisure.  Doan’ 
accept  things  as  you  find  them,  but  inquar’  of  yourselves  why  de  thus- 
ness  of  de  thisness  emulates  de  consanguinity  of  de  concordance.” 

COURTSHIP  AT  THE  HUSKIN’  BEE 

The  Huskin’  bee  wuz  over,  ez  the  sun  wuz  goin’  down 
In  a  yeller  blaze  o’  glory  jist  behind  the  maples  brown. 

The  gals  wuz  gittin’  ready  ’n  the  boys  wuz  standin’  by. 

To  hitch  on  whar  they  wanted  to,  or  know  the  reason  why. 

Of  all  the  gals  what  set  aroun’  the  pile  of  corn  thet  day, 

A ’twistin’  off  the  rustlin’  husks,  ez  ef  ’twas  only  play. 

The  pertyest  one  of  all  the  lot — ’n  they  wuz  putty,  too — 

Wuz  Zury  Hess,  whose  laffin’  eyes  cud  look  ye  through  an’  through. 

Now  it  happened  little  Zury  found  a  red  ear  in  the  pile. 

Afore  we  finished  huskin’,  ’n  ye  orter  seen  her  smile; 

For,  o’  course,  she  held  the  privilege,  if  she  would  only  dare. 

To  choose  the  feller  she  liked  best  ’n  kiss  him  then  ’n  there. 

My!  how  we  puckered  up  our  lips  ’n  tried  to  look  our  best. 

Each  feller  wished  he’d  be  the  one  picked  out  from  all  the  rest; 

’Til  Zury,  arter  bangin’  back  a  leetle  spell  or  so. 

Got  up  ’n  walked  right  over  to  the  last  one  in  the  row 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  OEATORY 


503 


She  jist  reached  down  ’n  touched  her  lips  onto  the  ol  ’  white  head 
O’  Peter  Sims,  who’s  eighty  year  ef  he’s  a  day,  ’tis  said; 

She  looked  so  sweet  ol’  Peter  tho’t  an  angel  cum  to  say 
As  how  his  harp  wuz  ready  in  the  land  o’  tarnal  day. 

Mad?  Well  I  should  say  I  was,  ’n  I  tol’  her  goin’  hum 
As  how  the  way  she  slighted  me  had  made  me  sorter  glum, 

’N  that  I  didn’t  think  she’d  shake  me  right  afore  the  crowd — 

I  wuzn’t  gointer  stand  it — ’n  I  said  so  pooty  loud. 

Then  Zury  drapped  her  laffin’  eyes  ’n  whispered  to  me  low, 

“I  didn’t  kiss  ye  ’fore  the  crowd — ’cause — ’cause — I  love  ye  so, 

’N  I  thought  ye  wuldn’t  mind  it  if  I  kissed  ol’  Pete  instead. 

Because  the  grave  is  closin’  jist  above  his  pore  ol’  head.” 

Well — wimmin’s  ways  is  queer,  sometimes,  and  we  don’t  alius  know 
Jist  what’s  a-throbbin’  in  their  hearts  when  they  act  thus  ’n  so — 

All  I  know  is,  that  when  I  bid  good  night  to  Zury  Hess, 

I  loved  her  more’n  ever,  ’n  I’ll  never  love  her  less. 

THE  LITTLE  RID  HIN. 

Well,  thin,  there  was  once’t  upon  a  time,  away  off  in  the  ould 
country,  livin’  all  er  lone  in  the  woods,  in  a  wee  bit  iv  a  house  be  her¬ 
self,  a  little  rid  hin.  Nice  an’  quiet  she  was,  and  niver  did  no  kind  o’ 
harrum  in  her  life.  An’  there  lived  out  over  the  hill,  in  a  din  o’  the 
rocks,  a  crafty  ould  felly  iv  a  fox.  An’  this  same  ould  villain  iv  a  fox, 
he  laid  awake  o’  nights,  and  he  prowled  round  shly  iv  a  daytime, 
thinkin’  always  so  busy  how  he’d  git  the  little  rid  hin,  an’  carry  her 
home  an’  bile  her  up  for  his  shupper. 

But  the  wise  little  rid  hin  niver  went  intil  her  bit  iv  a  house,  but 
she  locked  the  door  afther  her,  and  pit  the  kay  in  her  pocket.  So  the 
ould  rashkill  iv  a  fox,  he  watched,  an’  he  prowled,  an’  he  laid  awake 
nights,  till  he  came  all  to  skin  an’  bone,  an’  sorra  a  ha’porth  o’  the 
little  rid  hin  could  he  get  at.  But  at  lasht  there  came  a  shcame  intil 


504 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATOEY 


Ills  wicked  ould  head,  an’  he  tuk  a  big  hag  one  mornin’,  over  his  shoul¬ 
der,  an’  he  says  till  his  mother,  says  he,  “Mother,  have  the  pot  all 
bilin’  again’  I  come  home,  for  I’ll  bring  the  little  rid  bin  to-night  for 
our  shupper.” 

An’  away  he  wint,  over  the  hills,  an’  came  crapin’  shly  and  soft 
through  the  woods  to  where  the  little  rid  bin  lived  in  her  shnug  bit  iv 
a  house.  An’  shure,  jist  at  the  very  minute  that  he  got  along,  out 
comes  the  little  rid  bin  out  iv  the  door,  to  pick  up  shticks  to  bile  her 
tay-kettle.  “Begorra,  now,  but  I’ll  have  yees,”  says  the  shly  ould  fox, 
an’  in  he  shlips,  unbeknownst,  intil  the  house,  an’  hides  behind  the 
door.  An’  in  comes  the  little  rid  hin,  a  minute  afther,  with  her  apron 
full  iv  shticks,  an’  shuts  to  the  door  an’  locks  it,  an’  pits  the  kay  in 
her  pocket.  An’  thin  she  turns  round — an’  there  shtands  the  baste  iv 
a  fox  in  the  corner.  Well,  thin,  what  did  she  do,  hut  jist  dhrop  down 
her  shticks,  and  fly  up  in  a  great  fright  and  flutter  to  the  big  bame 
across  inside  o’  the  roof,  where  the  fox  couldn’t  git  at  her! 

“Ah,  ha!”  says  the  ould  fox,  “I’ll  soon  bring  yees  down  out  o’ 
that!”  An’  he  began  to  whirrul  round,  an’  round,  an’  round,  fashter, 
an’  fashter,  an’  fashter,  on  the  floor,  after  his  big,  bushy  tail,  till  the 
little  rid  hin  got  so  dizzy  wid  lookin,  that  she  jist  tumbled  down  aff 
the  bame,  and  the  fox  whipped  her  up  and  popped  her  intil  his  bag, 
and  stharted  off  home  in  a  minute.  An’  he  wint  up  the  wood,  an’  down 
the  wood  half  the  day  long  wid  his  little  rid  hin  shut  up  shmotherin’ 
in  the  bag.  Sorra  a  know  she  knowed  where  she  was  at  all,  at  all.  She 
thought  she  was  all  biled  an’  ate  up,  an’  finished  shure!  But,  by  an’ 
by,  she  remimbered  herself,  an’  pit  her  hand  in  her  pocket,  an’  tuk  out 
her  little  bright  scissors,  and  shnipped  a  big  hole  in  the  bag  behind, 
an’  out  she  leapt,  an’  picked  up  a  big  shtone  an’  popped  it  intil  the 
bag,  an’  rin  atf  home  an’  locked  the  door. 

An  ’  the  fox  he  tugged  away  up  over  the  hill,  with  the  big  shtone  at 
his  back  thumpin’  his  shoulders,  thinkin’  to  himself  how  heavy  the 
little  rid  hin  was,  an’  what  a  fine  shupper  he’d  have.  An’  whin  he 
came  in  sight  iv  his  din  in  the  rocks,  and  shpied  his  ould  mother  a 
watchin’  for  him  at  the  door,  he  says,  “Mother!  have  ye  the  pot 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


505 


bilin’?”  An’  the  ould  mother  says,  “Sure  an’  it  is;  an’  have  ye  the 
little  rid  hin?”  “Yes,  jist  here  in  me  bag.  Open  the  lid  o’  the  pot 
till  I  pit  her  in,”  says  he. 

An’  the  ould  mother  fox  she  lifted  the  lid  o’  the  pot,  an’  the 
rashkill  untied  the  bag,  and  hild  it  over  the  pot  o’  bilin’  wather,  an’ 
shuk  in  the  big,  heavy  shtone.  An’  the  bilin’  wahter  shp] ashed  up  all 
over  the  rogue  iv  a  fox,  an’  his  mother,  an’  schalded  them  both  to 
death.  An  ’  the  little  rid  hin  lived  safe  in  her  house  f oriver  af ther. 

“DE  COTE-HOUSE  IN  DE  SKY.” 

Now  I’s  got  a  notion  in  my  head  dat  when  you  come  to  die. 

An’  stand  de  ’zamination  in  de  Cote-house  in  de  sky. 

You’ll  be  ’stonished  at  de  questions  dat  de  angel’s  gwine  to  ax 
When  he  gits  you  on  de  witness-stan’  an’  pins  you  to  de  fac’s; 

Cause  he’ll  ax  you  mighty  closely  ’bout  your  doins  in  de  night. 

An’  de  water-million  question’s  gwine  to  bodder  you  a  sight! 

Den  your  eyes’ll  open  wider  dan  dey  eber  done  befo’. 

When  he  chats  you  ’bout  a  chicken-scrape  dat  happened  long  ago! 

De  angels  on  de  picket-line  erlong  de  Milky  Way 

Keeps  a-wachin’  what  yer  dribin’  at  an’  bearin’  what  you  say: 

No  matter  what  you  want  to  do,  no  matter  whar  you’s  gwine, 

Dey’s  mighty  apt  to  find  it  out  an’  pass  it  long  de  line; 

An’  of ’en  at  de  meetin’  when  you  make  a  fuss  an  laff — 

Why,  dey  send  de  news  a  kitin  ’  by  de  golden  telegraph ; 

Den,  de  angel  in  de  orfis,  what’s  a-settin’  by  de  gate, 

Jes’  reads  de  message  wid  a  look  an’  claps  it  on  de  slate! 

Den  you  better  do  your  juty  well  an’  keep  your  conscience  clear. 

An’  keep  a-lookin’  straight  ahead  an’  watchin’  whar  you  steer; 

’Cause  arter  while  d/e  time’ll  come  to  journey  fum  de  Ian’, 

An’  dey ’ll  take  you  way  up  in  de  a’r  an’  put  you  on  de  stan’; 

Den  you’ll  hab  to  listen  to  de  clerk  an’  answer  mighty  straight. 

Ef  you  ebber  ’spec’  to  trabble  froo  de  alabaster  gate! 


506 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


HANS’  REGISTERED  LETTER 

Hans  Blukman  got  mad  the  other  day.  It  was  in  London.  There 
were  a  number  of  new  letter-carriers  wanted  in  the  post-office  depart¬ 
ment,  and  five  or  six  score  applicants  were  on  hand  to  be  examined  by 
the  shrewd  medical  gentlemen  who  were  appointed'  to  conduct  this 
rigid  scrutiny.  Among  these,  was  fat  Hans  Blukman,  a  well-to-do 
tradesman.  He  stood  about  the  middle  of  the  long  line,  before  the 
closed  doors  of  a  room  at  the  postoffice  building.  He  waited  his  turn 
with  perspiring  impatience.  Every  now  and  then,  the  door  would 
open,  a  head  would  be  thrust  through  the  crack  of  the  door  and  cry 
“Next!”  Then  somebody — not  Hans  Blukman — would  enter. 

At  last  it  came  Hans’  turn.  He  entered  and  found  himself  alone 
with  a  man  of  professional  aspect.  Hans  held  out  a  slip  of  paper.  The 
official  said: 

‘  ‘  Take  off  your  coat.  ’  ’ 

“Take  off  my  goat?  Vot  you  dink  I  come  for?  To  get  shafed? 

I  vant - ” 

“All  right.  Take  off  your  coat,  or  I  can’t  examine  you.” 

“Den  I  VOS  got  to  be  examined?  So?  Dot’s  all  right,  I  s’pose,” 
and  off  came  the  coat. 

“Off  waistcoat,  too!” 

“Look  here,  my  friend,  you  dink  I  was  a  tief  ?  You  vants  to  zearch 
me?  Well,  dot’s  all  right.  I  peen  an  honest  man,  py  dunder,  and  you 
don ’t  vind  no  schtolen  broperty  my  clothes  insite !  I  vas  never  zearch 
pefore  already - ” 

“I  don’t  want  to  search  you:  I  want  to  examine  you.  Don’t  you 
understand  ?  ’  ’ 

“No,  I  ton’d  understand.  But  dot’s  all  right;  dere’s  mine  clothes 
off,  und  if  I  cold  catch,  dot  vill  your  fault  peen  entirely.” 

The  professional  man  placed  his  hand  on  the  visitor’s  shoulder 
blade,  applied  an  ear  to  his  chest,  tapped  him  on  the  breast-bone  and 
punched  him  in  the  small  of  the  back,  inquiring  if  it  hurt. 


THE  AET  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


507 


“Hurt?  No,  dot  ton’d  hurt;  but  maype,  if  dose  foolishness  ton’d 
stop,  somepody  ellus  gits  bretty  soon  hurt.  ’  ’ 

“Does  that  hurt?”  was  the  next  question,  accompanied  by  a  gentle 
thrust  among  the  ribs. 

“No,  dot  ton’d  hurt;  but,  by  dunder,  it - ” 

“Be  quiet!  I’m  in  a  hurry — I’ve  a  dozen  more  to  attend  to.  Now, 
can  you  read  this  card  when  I  hold  it  out  so  ?  ” 

“No.” 

‘  ‘  Can  you  read  it  now  ?  ’  ’  bringing  it  a  few  inches  nearer. 

“No;  but  you  choost  pring  me  out  my  spegtagles  by  my  goat 
pocket  and  I  read  him.” 

“Oh!  that  won’t  do.  Your  sight  is  defective.  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
and  you  are  rejected.  Put  on  your  clothes — quick,  please.” 

“Dot’s  all  right.  So  I  vos  rechected,  eh?  Well,  dot  vas  nezzary, 
I  subbose;  but  it’s  very  vunny,  choost  the  same.  And  now  I’ve  peen 
rechected  und  eggsamined,  maype,  you  don’t  some  objections  got  to  git 
me  dot  rechistered  letter?” 

“What  registered  letter?” 

“Dot  rechistered  letter  vot  vas  spoken  about  on  dis  piece  baber.” 

“The  dickens!  Who  sent  you  to  me  with  that?  I  thought  you  had 
come  to  be  examined.  Didn’t  you  apply  to  be  a  letter-carrier?” 

“A  letter-garrier?  No,  I  don’t  vant  to  be  a  letter-garrier.  I  half 
biziness  got  py  mineself,  but  I  vants  my  rechistered  letter.” 

“Here,”  said  the  doctor  to  a  messenger  in  the  lobby,  “show  this 
man  the  registered-letter  clerk,”  and  the  bewildered  foreigner  was 
conducted  to  the  proper  window  where  after  passing  through  such  a 
trying  ordeal  he  finally  received  his  letter  from  “Sharmeny”  all  right. 

MAMMY’S  HUSHABY 

Hushaby,  hushaby,  lil’  baby  hoy, 

Shet  yo’  eyes  tight  an’  drap  off  ter  sleep; 

Mistah  Coon  was  a-pacin’  at  a  mighty  jog 

When  he  seed  a  ’possum  curled  up  on  a  lawg: 

“Howdy,  Brer  ’Possum,  I’se  glad  you  a ’n’t  a  dawg” — 

Hushaby,  HP  baby  boy. 


508 


THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


All  de  111  ’  mawkin  ’  birds  a  sleepin  ’  in  dar  nes 
When  night  comes  den  sleepin’  is  de  bes’, 

Tek  up  m’  honey  boy  an’  hug  him  ter  m’  bres’, 

Hushaby,  lil’  baby  boy. 

Hushaby,  hushaby,  lil’  baby  boy. 

Watch  dawg  bark  an’  booger  man  run; 

Down  in  the  medder  lil’  bunnies  race, 

Frolickin’  an’  jumpin’  all  about  de  place — 

Jess  yo’  quit  dat  laffin’  right  in  yo’  mammy’s  face — 

Hushaby,  lil’  baby  boy. 

01’  brindle  cow’s  a-callin’,  “goo’  night,  goo’  night,”  she  said, 
Time  all  lil’  chilluns  fer  ter  be  in  bed; 

Tight  shet  go  dem  bright  eyes,  down  drap  dat  curly  head — 
Hushaby,  lil’  baby  boy. 

Richard  Linthicum. 

MCKINLEY’S  EULOGY  OF  LINCOLN. 

“It  is  not  difficult  to  place  a  correct  estimate  upon  the  character  of 
Lincoln.  He  was  the  greatest  man  of  his  time,  especially  approved 
of  God  for  the  work  He  gave  him  to  do. 

“History  abundantly  proves  his  superiority  as  a  leader,  and  es¬ 
tablishes  his  constant  reliance  upon  a  higher  power  for  guidance  and 
support. 

“The  tendency  of  this  age  is  to  exaggeration,  but  of  Lincoln  cer¬ 
tainly  none  have  spoken  more  highly  than  those  who  knew  him  best. 

“The  greatest  names  in  American  history  are  Washington  and 
Lincoln.  One  is  forever  associated  with  the  independence  of  the  states 
and  formation  of  the  Federal  Union,  the  other  with  the  universal  free¬ 
dom  and  preservation  of  that  Union. 

“Washington  enforced  the  Declaration  of  Independence  as  against 
England,  Lincoln  proclaimed  its  fulfillment,  not  only  to  a  downtrodden 
race  in  America,  but  to  all  people,  for  all  those  who  may  seek  the  pro¬ 
tection  of  our  flag. 

‘  ‘  These  illustrious  men  achieved  grander  results  for  mankind  with- 


THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


509 


in  a  single  century — from  1775  to  1865 — than  any  other  men  ever  ac¬ 
complished  in  all  the  years  since  first  the  flight  of  time  began. 

“Washington  engaged  in  no  ordinary  revolution.  With  him  it 
was  not  who  should  rule,  but  what  should  rule.  He  drew  his  sword, 
not  for  a  change  of  rulers  upon  an  established  throne,  but  to  establish 
a  new  government,  which  should  acknowledge  no  throne  but  the 
tribune  of  the  people. 

“Lincoln  accepted  war  to  save  the  Union,  the  safeguard  of  our 
liberties,  and  re-established  it  on  ‘indestructible  foundations’  as  for¬ 
ever  ‘one  and  indivisible.’ 

“To  quote  his  own  grand  words: 

“  ‘Now,  we  are  all  contending  that  this  nation,  under  God,  shall 
have  a  new  birth  of  freedom,  and  that  the  government  of  the  people, 
by  the  people,  for  the  people,  shall  not  perish  upon  the  earth.’ 

“Each  lived  to  accomplish  his  appointed  task.  Each  received  the 
unbounded  gratitude  of  the  people  of  his  time,  and  each  is  held  in 
great  and  ever-increasing  reverence  by  posterity. 

“The  fame  of  each  will  never  die.  It  will  grow  with  the  ages,  be¬ 
cause  it  is  based  upon  imperishable  service  to  humanity — not  to  the 
people  of  a  single  generation  or  country,  but  to  the  whole  human 
family,  wherever  scattered,  forever. 

“The  present  generation  knows  Washington  only  from  history, 
and  by  that  alone  can  judge  him. 

“Lincoln  we  know  by  history  also;  but  thousands  are  still  living 
who  participated  in  the  great  events  in  which  he  was  leader  and 
master. 

“Many  of  his  contemporaries  survive  him;  some  are  here  yet  in 
almost  every  locality.  So  Lincoln  is  not  far  removed  from  us. 

“History  has  proclaimed  them  the  two  greatest  and  best  Ameri¬ 
cans.  That  verdict  has  not  changed,  and  will  not  change,  nor  can  we 
conceive  how  the  historians  of  this  or  any  age  will  ever  determine 
what  is  so  clearly  a  matter  of  pure  personal  opinion  as  to  which  of 
these  noble  men  is  entitled  to  greatest  honor  and  homage  from  the 
people  of  America. 


510 


THE  ART  OF  ELOCUTION  AND  ORATORY 


“Says  the  gifted  Henry  Watterson,  in  a  most  beautiful,  truthful 
and  eloquent  tribute  to  the  great  emancipator: 

‘  ‘  ‘  Born  as  lowly  as  the  Son  of  God,  reared  in  penury  and  squalor, 
with  no  gleam  of  light  nor  fair  surroundings,  it  was  reserved  for  this 
strange  being,  late  in  life,  without  name  or  fame,  or  seeming  prepara¬ 
tion,  to  be  snatched  from  obscurity,  raised  to  supreme  command  at  a 
supreme  moment,  and  intrusted  with  the  destiny  of  a  nation. 

‘  ‘  ‘  Where  did  Shakespeare  get  his  genius  ?  Where  did  Mozart  get 
his  music?  Whose  hand  smote  the  lyre  of  the  Scottish  plowman  and 
staid  the  life  of  the  German  priest? 

“  ‘God  alone,  and  as  surely  as  these  were  raised  by  God,  inspired 
of  God  was  Abraham  Lincoln;  and  a  thousand  years  hence  no  story, 
no  tragedy,  no  epic  poem  will  be  filled  with  greater  wonder  than  that 
which  tells  of  his  life  and  death. 

“  ‘  If  Lincoln  was  not  inspired  of  God,  then  there  is  no  such  thing 
on  earth  as  special  providence  or  the  interposition  of  divine  power  in 
tke  affairs  of  men.’ 

“My  fellow  citizens,  a  noble  manhood,  nobly  consecrated  to  man, 
never  dies. 

“The  martyr  to  liberty,  the  emancipator  of  a  race,  the  savior  of 
the  only  free  government  among  men,  may  be  buried  from  human 
sight,  but  his  deeds  will  live  in  human  gratitude  forever.” 


COTTON  GROWER’S  GUIDE 

Showing  Crop  for  Past  Seventy-nine  Years — Exports  and  American 
Consumption  from  1904  to  1912 — Amount  of  Cotton  Used  in 
Different  Parts  of  the  W orld — Cotton  Supply  of  Other  Parts  of 
World,  Compared  to  Our  Own— The  Number  of  Spindles  in 
Operation  in  This  and  Other  Countries — Amount  of  Bales  Pro¬ 
duced  in  Each  of  the  Southern  States — The  Highest  and  Lowest 
Prices  Cotton  Has  Sold  for  Each  Year,  from  1861  to  year  of  1912. 

CROP  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  FOR  SEVENTY-NINE  YEARS. 

The  Following  statements  are  furnished  by  the  New  York  “Commercial  and  Financial  Chronicle:” 


Tear 

Bales 

Tear 

Bales 

Year 

Baies 

Year 

Bales 

1834 . 

1,205,324 

1853 . 

3,202,882 

1875 . 

3,832,991 

1894 . 

7,527,211 

1835 . 

1,254,328 

1854 . 

2,930,022 

1876 . 

4,669,288 

1895 . 

9,892,766 

1836 . 

1,360,752 

1855 . 

2,847,339 

1877 . 

4,485,423 

1896 . 

7,162,473 

1837 . 

1,422,930 

1856 . 

3,527,845 

1878 . 

4,811,265 

1897 . 

8,714,011 

1838 . 

1,801,497 

1857 . 

2,939,519 

1879 . 

5,073,531 

1898 . 

11,180,960 

1839 . 

1,360,532 

1858 . 

3,113,962 

1880 . 

5,757,397 

1899  . 

11,235,383 

1840 . 

2,177,835 

1859 . 

3,851,481 

1881 . 

6,589,329 

1900  . 

9,439,559 

1841 . 

1,634,945 

1860  . 

4,669,770 

1882 . 

5,435,845 

1901  .... 

10,425,141 

1842 

1,683,574 

1861 

3,656,006 

1883 . 

6,992,234 

1902  . 

10,701,453 

1843 . 

2;378;875 

1862-1865 

No  record 

1884 . 

5,714,052 

1903  . 

10,758,326 

1844 . 

2,030,409 

1866 . 

2,193,987 

1885 . 

5,609,021 

1904 . 

10,123,686 

1845 . 

2,394,503 

1867 . 

2,019,744 

1886 . 

6,550,215 

1905  . 

13,556,841 

1846 . 

2,100,537 

1868 . 

2,593,993 

1887 . 

6,513,624 

1906  . 

11,319,860 

1847 . 

1,778,651 

1869 . 

2,439,039 

1888 . 

7,017,707 

1907 . 

13,550,760 

1848 . 

2,347,634 

1870 . 

3,154,946 

1889 . 

6,935,082 

1908 . 

11,581,829 

1849 . 

2,728,596 

1871 . 

4,352,317 

1890 . 

7,313,726 

1909 . 

13,828,846 

1850 . 

2,096,706 

1872 . 

2,974,351 

1891 . 

8,655,518 

1910 

10,650,961 

1851 . 

2,355,257 

1873 . 

3,930,508 

1892 . 

9,038,707 

1911 

12,132,332 

1852 . 

3,015,029 

1874 . 

4,170,383 

1893 . 

6,717,142 

1912 . 

16,043,316 

The  returns  are  for  the  years  ending  September  1.  The  average  net  weight  per  bale,  for  1912,  is  490.80  lbs. 


COTTON  CONSUMPTION  OF  THE  WORLD 


Consumption, 
Bales.  500  lbs 

Great  Britain 

Continent 

United  States 

India 

All  Others 

Total  World 

1894-1895 . 

3,250,050 

3,276,050 

3,224,000 

3,432,000 

3,519,000 

3,334,000 

3,269,000 

3,253,000 

3,185,000 

3,017,000 

3,620,000 

3,774,000 

3,892,000 

3,690,000 

4,030,000 

4,160,000 

4,368,000 

4,628,000 

4,784,000 

4,576,000 

4,576,000 

4,836,000 

5,148,000 

5,148,000 

2,743,000 

1,074,000 

446,000 

11,543,000 

1895-1896 . 

2,572,000 

1,105,000 

492,000 

11,605,000 

1896-1897 . 

2,738,000 

1,004,000 

646,000 

11,880,000 

1897-1898 . 

2,962,000 

1,141,000 

725,000 

12,888,000 

1898-1899 . 

3,653,000 

1,314,000 

845,000 

14,015,000 

1899-1900 . 

3,856,000 

1,139,000 

868,000 

13,773,000 

1900-1901 . 

3,727,000 

1,060,000 

784,000 

13,416,000 

1901-1902 . 

4,037,000 

1,384,000 

905,000 

14,415,000 

1902-1903 . 

4,015,000 

1,364,000 

766,000 

14,478,000 

1903-1904 . 

3,908,000 

1,368,000 

869,000 

14,310,000 

1904-1905 . 

5,148,000 

4,310,000 

1,474,000 

1,060,000 

15,612,000 

1905-1906 . 

6,252,000 

4,726,000 

1,586,000 

1,097,000 

16,435,000 

1906-1907 . 

6,460,000 

4,950,000 

1,552,000 

1,145,000 

16,999,000 

1907-1908 . 

5,720,000 

4,227,000 

1,561,000 

1,083,000 

16,281,000 

1908-1909 . 

3,720,000 

5,720,000 

4,912,000 

1,653,000 

1,159,000 

17,164,000 

1909-1910 . 

3,175,000 

5,460,000 

4,533,000 

1,517,000 

1,304,000 

15,989,000 

1910- 1911 

1911- 1912 . 

3,776,000 

4,160,000 

6,460,000 

6,720,000 

4,485,000 

6,211,000 

1,494,000 

1,600,000 

1,400,000 

1,788,000 

16,615,000 

18,479,000 

511 


512 


COTTON  GROWER’S  GUIDE 


EXPORTS  AND  DOMESTIC  CONSUMPTION  OF  AMERICAN  COTTON 


1911-1912 

1910-1911 

1909-1910 

1908-1909 

1907-1908 

1906-1907 

1905-1906 

1904-1905 

Bales 

Bales 

Bales 

Bales 

Bales 

Bales 

Bales 

Bales 

Export  to  Europe . 

Consumption  in  United  States. 

9,934,132 

7,459,397 

6,093,400 

8,198,922 

7,275,973 

8,144,301 

6,448,430 

8,333,556 

Canada,  etc . 

6,145,323 

4,955,030 

4,969,257 

5,454,781 

4,677,988 

5,578,677 

5,120,273 

4,963,348 

Total . 

16,079,455 

12,414,427 

11,062,657 

13,653,703 

11,953,961 

13,722,978 

11,568,203 

13,296,904 

SOURCES  OF  COTTON  SUPPLY,  1911-1912 

The  following  shows  the  actual  requirements  in  1911-1912  and  the  estimate  of  Ellison  &  Co.  for  1912-1913. 


1912-1913 

1911-1912 

1910-1911 

1909-1910 

1908-1909 

Total  Est. 
Bales 

Total  Actual 
Bales 

Total  Actual 
Bales 

Total  Actual 
Bales 

Total  Actual 
Bales 

America . 

East  Indies . 

Other  Countries . 

Total . 

Average  Weight . 

Bales  of  500  lbs . 

14,397,000 

1,000,000 

1,200,000 

14,411,000 

701,000 

1,108,000 

11,950,000 

1,306,000 

1,170,000 

11,507,000 

1,408,000 

1,063,000 

12,860,000 

945.000 

1,164,000 

11,597,000 

488.2 

16,200,000 

16,220,000 

487.7 

15,821,000 

14,426,000 

485.7 

14,015,000 

13,978.000 

478.7 

13,383,000 

14,969,000 

491.9 

14,725.000 

SPINDLES  IN  OPERATION 

1912 

1911 

1910 

1909 

1908 

1907 

Great  Britain  ... 

Continent . 

United  States... 
East  Indies . 

Total . 

56,750,000 

42,500,000 

29,677,000 

6,500,000 

56,500,000 

42,000,000 

29,003.000 

6,250,000 

56,000,000 

40,000,000 

28,636,000 

6,196,000 

55,600,000 

39,000,000 

27,780,000 

6,053,000 

54,600,000 

37,000,000 

26,752,000 

3,756,000 

52,000,000 

35.800,000 

25,924,000 

5,400,000 

135,427,000 

133,753,000 

130,832,000 

128,433,000 

124,108,000 

119,124,000 

THE  COTTON  CROP  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  BY  STATES 


States 

1905-1906 

Bales 

1906-1907 

Bales 

1907-1908 

Bales 

1908-1909 

Bales 

1909-1910 

Bales 

1910-1911 

Bales 

1911-1912 

Bales 

North  Carolina . 

711,000 

644,000 

675,000 

725,000 

660,000 

777,000 

1,165,000 

South  Carolina . 

1,140,000 

941,000 

1,205,000 

1,290,000 

1,188,000 

1,244,000 

1,725,000 

Georgia . 

1,900,000 

1,728,000 

1,920.000 

2,015,000 

1.932,000 

1,881,000 

2,820,000 

Florida . 

82,000 

66,000 

62,000 

75,000 

64,000 

68,000 

95,000 

Alabama . 

1,374,000 

1,332,000 

1,202,000 

.1,385,000 

1,088,000 

1,230,000 

1,730,000 

Mississippi . 

1,275,000 

1,548,000 

1,495,000 

1,745,000 

1,137,000 

1,271,000 

1,225,000 

Louisiana . 

595,000 

980,000 

700,000 

528,000 

286,000 

274,000 

400,000 

Texas . 

2,525,000 

4,073,000 

2,309,000 

3,908,000 

2,653,000 

3,135,000 

4,268,000 

Arkansas . 

640,000 

915,000 

775,000 

1.020,000 

728,000 

838,000 

945,000 

Tennessee . 

300,000 

317,000 

290,000 

350,000 

253,000 

340,000 

455,000 

All  Others . 

778,000 

1,007,000 

949,000 

788,000 

662,000 

1,074,000 

1,215,000 

Total  crop . 

11,320,000 

13,551,000 

11,582,000 

13,829,000 

10,651.000 

12,132,000 

16,043,000 

HIGHEST  AND  LOWEST  PRICES 

In  New  York  for  middling  uplands  cotton  from  January  1  to  December  31,  of  the  years  named 


Year 

Highest 

Lowest 

Year 

Highest 

Lowest 

Year 

Highest 

Lowest 

Year 

Highest 

Lowest 

1861.... 

38 

1134 

1874.... 

18% 

14% 

1887.... 

11  7-16 

9  7-16 

1900.... 

11 

7  9-16 

1862.... 

6934 

20 

1875.... 

17% 

13  1-16 

1888.... 

11% 

9% 

1901.... 

12 

7  13-16 

1863.... 

93 

51 

1876.... 

13% 

10% 

1889.... 

11% 

9% 

1902.... 

9% 

8  3-16 

1864.... 

190 

T2 

1877.... 

13  5-16 

10  15-16 

1890.... 

12% 

9  3-16 

1903.... 

14.10 

8.85 

1865.... 

120 

35 

1878.... 

12  3-16 

8  13-16 

1891.... 

9^ 

7% 

1904.... 

17.25 

6.85 

1866.... 

.52 

32 

1879.... 

13% 

934 

1892.... 

10 

6  11-16 

1905.... 

12.60 

7.00 

1867.... 

36 

1534 

1880.... 

1334 

10  15-16 

1893.... 

9  15-16 

734 

1906.... 

12.25 

9.60 

1868.... 

33 

16 

1881 ... . 

13 

10  7-16 

1894.... 

8  5-16 

5  9-16 

1907.... 

13.55 

10.70 

1869.... 

35 

25 

1882.... 

13  1-16 

1034 

1895.... 

93*4 

5  9-16 

1908.... 

12.25 

9.00 

1870.... 

25 

15 

1883.... 

1134 

10 

1896.... 

8% 

7  1-16 

1909.... 

16.50 

9.25 

1871 .... 

2134 

U% 

1884.... 

11  15-16 

1897.... 

8% 

5  18-16 

1910.... 

19.75 

13.60 

1872.... 

2T% 

I'AYe 

1885.... 

1134 

9  3-16 

1898.... 

6  9-16 

5  5-16 

1911.... 

16.15 

9.20 

1873.... 

21% 

IZYs 

1886.... 

9  9-16 

8  13-16 

1899.... 

7  13-16 

5% 

1912*... 

13.40 

9.35 

*  To  November  1. 


Date  Due 


Form  335— 15M~7-36— S 


